Guatemala Bus Crash: 15 Dead, 3-Day Mourning Declared

An intermunicipal bus fell into a deep ravine in Guatemala on Friday night, killing 15 passengers and injuring at least 15 others, authorities said Saturday. The government has declared three days of national mourning following the accident.

Guatemala Bus Crash Kills 15

The accident occurred outside the town of Totonicapan along the Interamerican Road. Rescue workers spent more than two hours recovering the bodies and rescuing injured passengers from the crash site.

As of Saturday, fifteen people were receiving treatment for injuries at local hospitals.

“I profoundly regret the tragedy which happened along the Interamerican Route,” President Bernardo Arevalo said in a social media statement. “We are coordinating all necessary actions to assist those who have been affected.”

Road accidents are common in Guatemala due to loosely enforced transportation regulations and the prevalence of narrow, two-lane roads in the mountainous country.

According to the National Transportation Safety Observatory, a government agency, 446 public transportation vehicles were involved in accidents in the country through October of this year. These accidents resulted in 111 deaths and more than 600 injuries.