Officials said a bus carrying more than 70 people closed a highway bridge in a polluted ravine in Guatemala city on Monday, killing at least 51 people.
Carlos Hernandez, a spokesman of the city’s fire department, said the bodies of 36 men and 15 women were sent to a provincial morgue.
The rescue teams were able to pull 10 injured people from the bus, many of them were rushed to the hospital.
What do we know about the accident?
The bus fell at a distance of about 20 meters (65 feet) from the Puunt Day Belis bridge at the northern entrance of the capital of Guatemala. This highway bridge crosses a road and a sewer contaminated with sewage.
For the fire department, the driver lost control of the bus and collided with several small vehicles before going to the edge of the prefix.
Hernandez said, “The bus continued to move, broke through a metal railing, and about 20 meters (65 feet) deep fell into a ravine until it reached the river with marine deposition.”
Images shared by the Fire Department on social media showed partially submerged in waste water, surrounded by the bodies of the victims.
Initial investigation revealed that the bus was 30 years old, but still had a license to operate, Communications Minister Miguel Angel Diaz said.
Hey investigators were careful about what the bus was overloaded with ras and the cause of the initial mix accident was still unknown.
President announces the days of national mourning
Guatemele President Bernardo Arewalo has announced a three -day national mourning after the incident.
Hence He deployed the country’s army and disaster agency to assist in response.
“I stood in solidarity with the families of the victims, who woke up today for heartbreaking news. Their pain is my pain,” Arelo said on social media.
For local media, the bus was on the way to Gwatemala City from the city of San Agustin Akasagustlan in the Department of EL Programs, which was about 90 kilometers in the north -east.
Edited by: Wesley Rahan
