At least 55 killed in Guatemala as bus plunges into ravine
3 Min Read
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo has expressed sorrow over the devastating crash and declared three days of national mourning.
-
Firefighters work at the scene of a fatal bus crash after it fell from a bridge on the outskirts of Guatemala City, Monday, February 10, 2025. (AP)
One of Latin America's deadliest road accidents in recent years claimed at least 55 lives in Guatemala on Monday when a bus crashed through a guardrail and plummeted into a ravine, authorities reported.
The bus, carrying approximately 70 passengers, fell into a sewage-contaminated river in Guatemala City, complicating rescue efforts.
"So far, 53 people have died at the scene," public prosecutor’s office spokesman Moises Ortiz told reporters. Two others succumbed to their injuries after they were admitted, along with several other people, to the San Juan de Dios Hospital, spokeswoman Marlyn Perez said.
Bodies recovered from the crash site were taken to a makeshift morgue in a nearby community hall. Relatives rushed to the scene, fearing the worst.
Rosa Lopez, 48, recounted, "When we heard about the accident on the news, we headed straight here," as she searched for four of her missing nieces and nephews.
Many injured passengers were hospitalized in serious condition.
National mourning
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo expressed sorrow over the devastating crash and declared three days of national mourning.
"Today is a difficult day for the Guatemalan nation," he said.
The fire department reported that the driver apparently lost control, striking multiple smaller vehicles before the bus broke through a metal railing and tumbled about 20 meters (65 feet) into the river below.
"The bus kept going, broke through a metal railing, and fell into a ravine about 20 meters (65 feet) deep until it reached the sewage-contaminated river," said Carlos Hernandez from the fire department.
AFPTV footage showed rescue workers forming human chains to recover bodies from the murky, trash-filled waters.
Firefighter Luis Quintanilla described the difficult conditions, saying, "We’ve been underwater for more than three hours trying to rescue the body of an apparently male person who is trapped between the twisted metal of the bus."
The bus was en route from San Agustin Acasaguastlan, in El Progreso department, roughly 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of Guatemala City, when the accident occurred.
"It’s a huge tragedy, very painful," said Marbelin Ortiz, a 40-year-old local resident.
Investigation underway
Communications Minister Miguel Angel Diaz said initial findings showed the bus was 30 years old but had an active operating license. Authorities are investigating whether overloading contributed to the crash.
The public prosecutor’s office confirmed it had opened an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Fatal road accidents remain common across Central and South America. In January 2018, 52 people died when a bus plunged off a cliff in Peru, while a 2015 crash in Brazil killed 54 passengers in the southern state of Santa Catarina.
