Overcrowded bus plunges off bridge after losing control in Guatemala, killing 55 people

Guatemala: A bus accident in Guatemala killed at least 55 people when it veered off a highway bridge into a polluted ravine in the city early on Monday. The officials reported that 53 dead bodies were recovered at the scene while two passengers died at the San Juan de Dios Hospital.  

The development was confirmed by investigators from the Public Ministry who said that the overcrowded bus was travelling into the capital from the town of San Agustin Acasaguastlan on a busy road into the city when it lost control, crashing into other vehicles at full speed before it plunged around 20 meters from Puente Belice, a highway bridge which crosses over a road and creek. 

Reports claim that a multi-vehicle crash sent the bus off the road and into the steep gorge below the bridge before evening with rescuers calling it one of the worst road accidents in Latin America in years.  

🇬🇹 GRAPHIC FOOTAGE

Preliminary reports suggest that a tragic traffic accident has resulted in 31 fatalities and 15 injuries.

The incident involved a bus traveling from Rancho towards Guatemala which fell into a ravine near the Belize bridge. pic.twitter.com/puEwVZLHK0

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Guatemala City’s Mayor Ricardo Quinonez immediately sent emergency services to the accident site and asked and traffic police to set up alternate routes and commence the rescue services. Reportedly, the rescue operations took over six and a half hours during which the dead bodies were retrieved while other were rushed to the hospital for immediate medical assistance.  

How many casualties were there? 

The authorities further reported that the bus was carrying more than 70 passengers when the accident took place and several of them remained trapped inside after the vehicle fell into ravine. 

The authorities confirmed that over 50 people died in the crash with the National Civil Police later revising the death toll to 55 and said that 10 others were injured.

At least 40 people are dead after their bus plunged off a bridge Monday on the outskirts of Guatemala’s capital. A firefighting spokesman says a multi-vehicle crash sent the bus off the bridge before dawn. Another 15 people were seriously injured. (AP) pic.twitter.com/nO8QRUkLHV

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As of now 23 bodies have been identified while 14 remain unidentified, including those of three children while other victims of the accident are yet to be recovered from the debris, reported INACIF.  

Presidential response over the bus accident 

Soon after the incident, President Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning to offer condolences to the victims of the tragic incident. He took to social media to express his deepest condolences and called the incident a ‘tragedy’.  

He further expressed his support to the families of the victims and noted, “Their pain is my pain.” The President has also deployed National Army personnel and CONRED to assist at the scene.