(Lima) A bus carrying around forty passengers fell into a precipice Tuesday morning in the Andean region of Ayacucho, in southeastern Peru, an accident which left at least 16 dead, according to authorities.
The double-decker bus, which was traveling from the capital Lima to Ayacucho, fell into the hundred-meter-deep ravine and landed on its roof. Rescue operations were delayed by hail, the representative of the Ayacucho ombudsman’s office, Wiber Vega, told the press.
Road accidents are frequent in Peru due to excessive speed, poor road conditions, lack of signage and lack of control by the police. According to the Ministry of Transport, 3,138 people died in 2023 in traffic accidents in the country, 70% due to human factors such as driver fatigue or incompetence.