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India
At least 51 people lost their lives in a tragic bus accident on Monday when a passenger bus crashed through a guard rail on a bridge and plunged into a ravine in Guatemala City. According to rescue workers, the accident is one of the deadliest in the Central American country in recent years.
The local fire department confirmed that emergency personnel had retrieved 51 bodies from the crash site. The bus had fallen off the Puente de Belice bridge, located at the northern entrance to Guatemala’s capital, and landed in a river heavily contaminated with effluent.
Authorities reported that 10 injured passengers were successfully extricated from the wreckage. Several seriously injured individuals were transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
According to local media reports, the bus was en route to Guatemala City from the town of San Agustin Acasaguastlan in El Progreso department, approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of the capital. The accident occurred in the early morning, but the exact cause remains under investigation by local police.
Officials are yet to determine the circumstances leading to the accident, but preliminary reports suggest the possibility of mechanical failure or driver error. Further investigations are underway to establish the cause of the fatal crash.
The tragedy has shocked the nation, prompting concerns over road safety and the condition of public transport in Guatemala. Authorities have urged commuters and transport operators to exercise caution to prevent similar incidents in the future.
