51 Killed, Several Injured as Bus Falls into Ravine in Guatemala
Tragedy struck Guatemala City in the early hours of Monday morning when a bus carrying 75 people plunged into a ravine, resulting in the loss of at least 51 lives and leaving several others injured. The devastating accident occurred when the bus, which was traveling from the city of Quetzaltenango to Guatemala City, crashed off the Puente de Belice bridge at the northern entrance to the capital city and into a river contaminated with effluent.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus was traveling at a high speed when it lost control and fell off the bridge, plummeting over 100 feet into the ravine. The impact was immense, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. Emergency workers were quick to respond to the scene, managing to extricate 10 injured people from the wreckage of the bus.
The rescue efforts were hampered by the remote location of the accident and the treacherous terrain of the ravine. Rescue teams had to navigate steep hills and dense vegetation to reach the site of the accident, making it a challenging task to recover the bodies of the deceased.
The bus was carrying a mix of passengers, including locals and tourists, when the accident occurred. The exact number of foreign nationals on board is still unclear, but authorities have confirmed that several injured people are being treated in local hospitals.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest that the bus driver may have lost control of the vehicle due to excessive speed or faulty brakes. An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Guatemalan government has pledged to provide support to the families of the victims and to investigate the accident to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. The country’s President, Alejandro Giammattei, has expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and has promised to do everything in his power to ensure that those responsible for the accident are held accountable.
The accident has sent shockwaves throughout Guatemala, with many people taking to social media to express their condolences to the families of the victims. The country’s residents are still reeling from the news, trying to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy.
The bus accident is the latest in a series of devastating transportation accidents to occur in Guatemala in recent years. In 2019, a plane carrying 14 people crashed in the country, killing everyone on board. In 2018, a bus carrying 30 people plunged into a ravine in the western highlands, killing 15 people.
The accident is a stark reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. It is also a reminder of the devastating impact that accidents can have on families and communities.
As the investigation into the accident continues, our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the people of Guatemala, who are still reeling from the news of this tragic accident.
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