RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The passenger bus accident has left at least 29 dead and around 20 injured after the unit crashed and fell into a ravine on the central highway on its way to Lima.
Initially, the National Police reported on Tuesday that at least 17 people had died. However, shortly afterward, the head of the Highway Police, Manuel Lozada, said that the death toll was higher.
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The León Express bus was traveling from the city of Huánuco, in the central jungle, to Lima when it crashed at kilometer 72 of the central highway early Tuesday morning.
The vehicle crashed against a hill and fell into a 100-meter deep ravine, falling just a few meters from the Rimac River, the main tributary that crosses the city of Lima.
The police are investigating whether the driver fell asleep and lost control of the vehicle or exceeded the speed limit for this traffic zone.
The injured were rescued from the bus and taken to the Chosica hospital by firefighters and police officers, while some surviving passengers helped rescue minors traveling on the bus.
The circulation of vehicles has been suspended in the area, while the rescue of the victims and the transfer of the injured to health centers is being concluded.
Passenger bus accidents are frequent in the country due to the lack of control of the drivers, who exceed the number of hours in front of the wheel, and the poor conditions of the roads, especially in rural and high altitude areas.