At Least 37 Dead in Peru Bus Crash
At least 37 people were killed and 13 injured early today when a passenger bus crashed into a pickup truck and plunged into a ravine in southern Peru.
The incident occurred after the bus, traveling from the mining city of Chala to Arequipa, reportedly collided with another vehicle on a curve and fell more than 650 feet to the banks of the Ocoña river. Walther Oporto, the health manager of the Arequipa region, told local radio RPP that the crash took place early Wednesday. This tragedy highlights ongoing safety concerns regarding road travel in Peru.
Local leaders have expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, offering prayers for those who died and a swift recovery for the injured. Peru has a history of fatal bus accidents; in 2018, officials banned passenger buses from a particularly dangerous stretch of highway known as “Devil’s Curve” following a deadly crash that killed over 50 people. You can find more information about road safety in Peru from the World Life Expectancy website.
Recent incidents include a bus overturning in August resulting in 10 deaths, another in July leaving at least 18 dead and 48 injured, and a January crash where at least six people died and 32 were injured. According to the Death Information System, approximately 3,173 people died in traffic accidents in Peru in 2024. Previous Headlinez News coverage details the ongoing efforts to improve road safety standards.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash and provide assistance to the victims and their families.
