Peru bus crash kills at least 37 after vehicle plunges into ravine
At least 37 people were killed and 24 injured when a double-decker bus plunged about 200 metres into a ravine in southern Peru after colliding with a pickup truck. Rescue efforts continue as authorities warn that the death toll may rise.
- A double-decker passenger bus fell about 200 metres into a ravine in southern Peru, killing at least 37 people.
- Authorities reported 24 injured, with the toll expected to rise due to severe cases.
- The crash adds to a series of fatal bus accidents in Peru, highlighting long-standing road safety issues.
At least 37 people died early Wednesday after a double-decker bus plunged into a deep ravine following a collision, according to authorities in southern Peru.
According to media, Walther Oporto, health manager for the Arequipa region, confirmed the number of fatalities and said 24 people were injured.
He added in a telephone statement that the death toll could increase because several injured passengers remained in critical condition.
Local radio station reported that the bus collided head-on with a pickup on a curve before plunging approximately 200 meters (650 feet) into a ravine down to the banks of the Ocoña River, according to firefighters.
The vehicle, operated by the Llamosas company, had departed late Tuesday from the mining town of Chala in Caraveli province and was heading to Arequipa, the country’s second-largest city.
It was carrying more than 60 passengers at the time of the crash.
Reports stated that the bus collided head-on with the pickup before rolling down the ravine and coming to rest near the riverbank.
Fire department spokesperson Jack Paez said rocky terrain was slowing rescue efforts, with emergency teams working from both the road above and the river below.
The pickup’s driver survived and was detained by authorities, while the bus driver died in the crash, the Llamosas company said.
The truck driver tested positive for alcohol, according to local media.
Peru has a long history of fatal bus crashes, especially in mountainous and coastal regions where narrow and winding roads pose persistent risks.
In earlier years, a series of deadly incidents prompted authorities in 2018 to ban buses from transporting passengers across a dangerous section of the Pacific Coast highway known as “Devil’s Curve”.
Recent months have seen multiple serious accidents. In August, a bus overturned on a highway, killing 10 people.
In July, another bus travelling from Lima to the Amazon region overturned, leaving at least 18 dead and 48 injured.
In January, at least six people died and 32 were injured when a bus fell into a river.
According to official figures from the Death Information System, Peru recorded approximately 3,173 traffic-related deaths in 2024.
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