At least 15 people died on Friday (26 December) when a passenger bus fell into a ravine on the Pan-American Highway in western Guatemala, rescue teams said.
“There are 15 dead in this road accident,” said volunteer fire department spokesman Leandro Amado.
Around twenty injured people were transported to hospitals close to the accident site, he added.
Among the victims, there are 11 men, three women and one minor, according to the same source.
The accident occurred on the Pan-American highway, in an area nicknamed “Alaskan Summit”, due to its rugged terrain, in the department of Totonicapán (west).
The bus that connects the city of Guatemala and San Marcos, on the border with Mexico, fell into a ravine approximately 75 meters deep for reasons still unknown.
Deadly road accidents are frequent in Guatemala. In February, a passenger bus fell into a ravine on the northern outskirts of Guatemala City, causing 54 victims.