A bus carrying over 70 passengers plunged off a bridge in Guatemala on Monday and into a polluted ravine, killing at least 54 people. The incident occurred when the bus collided with two vehicles while traveling down Belice Bridge, causing it to lose control and fall 115 feet into a sewage-polluted stream.
Photos from the scene showed the front of the bus underwater and windows cracked, trapping survivors. Emergency services were quickly deployed, and rescue efforts took over six hours to complete. The victims’ bodies have been taken to different morgues for identification, with INAFIC confirming 23 deaths due to polytrauma.
Guatemala City Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez confirmed the incident and promised alternate routes for travelers to the area. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo has also spoken out, calling it a “tragedy” and declaring national mourning. The National Army personnel and CONRED have been mobilized to assist in the relief efforts.
As of Monday night, 35 individuals had been identified and turned over to their families, while three underage children remain unidentified. The cause of death for some victims is still unknown, but polytrauma was confirmed by INAFIC as a contributing factor.
Source: https://people.com/guatemala-bus-crash-into-ravine-at-least-50-killed-8789666