Intercity bus disaster in Guatemala leaves at least 15 dead

A deadly traffic accident occurred on December 26 on the Pan-American Highway in western Guatemala, where a passenger bus veered off the road and fell into a deep ravine, killing at least 15 people, according to local emergency services, cited by Le Figaro newspaper.

Leandro Amado, a representative of Guatemala’s volunteer firefighters, said the victims included 11 men, three women, and one minor. Approximately 20 other passengers sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The crash took place at the 174th kilometre of the Pan-American Highway in the Totonicapán department, in an area known as “Alaska Summit,” a stretch notorious for its rugged mountainous terrain.

The intercity bus, operated by the Sinaloa company, was travelling from Guatemala City to the San Marcos department near the Mexican border when it plunged into a ravine about 75 meters deep. The cause of the accident has not yet been established.

By Tamilla Hasanova