Traffic accident At least 55 people killed in bus crash in Guatemala
Following a serious bus accident in Guatemala, the death toll rose to at least 55 on Monday. According to the latest death toll from the public prosecutor's office, 53 people were killed when the bus crashed into a ravine near the capital Guatemala City.
11.02.2025, 04:44
SDA
Two other passengers died after being admitted to hospital, where they were taken along with other injured people, a spokeswoman said. Many of the injured are still in mortal danger.
The bus with more than 70 passengers fell off a bridge into a ravine on the northern outskirts of the capital Guatemala City on Monday and landed in a river contaminated with sewage. The accident is one of the worst in the Central American country for years. President Bernardo Arévalo declared his dismay at the accident and ordered national mourning.
Investigations into the cause are ongoing
According to the authorities, the bus was on its way from San Agustín Acasaguastlán to Guatemala City and was on the Belize Bridge, the main connecting bridge to regions in the north and north-east of the capital, at the time of the accident. According to the fire department, the driver lost control of the bus, hit several small vehicles, then broke through the crash barrier and plummeted. It initially remained unclear why this happened.
According to Communications Minister Miguel Angel Díaz, the bus was 30 years old but still had an operating license. According to him, investigators are currently looking into whether the bus may have been overloaded with passengers. The public prosecutor's office stated that it had opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.
