A devastating double-decker bus crash in Peru’s Junín region on Friday, July 25, resulted in at least 18 deaths and 48 injuries after the vehicle plunged over 160 feet into a ravine. The bus, operated by Expreso Molina Líder Internacional, was carrying more than 60 passengers when the tragedy occurred.
The bus was traveling from Lima toward Peru’s Amazon forests when it veered off a winding road and crashed into the ravine, landing upside down. Health director Clifor Curipaco reported that 15 passengers were found dead at the scene, while three additional victims died later in hospital. Officials confirmed that two children were among the fatalities.
Video footage from the aftermath shows the double-decker bus split completely in two upon impact, with shattered glass and debris scattered across the crash site. The violent collision left the vehicle’s wreckage in pieces, requiring extensive rescue operations to extract victims from the mangled remains.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and police, mounted a desperate rescue mission to save as many lives as possible. The footage shows rescue workers attempting to maneuver inside the overturned vehicle while searching for survivors among the wreckage.
Health official Aldo Tineo from the city of Tarma in central Peru indicated that authorities were working to identify the deceased and determine the cause of the fatal incident. The investigation into what caused the bus to leave the roadway remains ongoing.
This latest tragedy continues Peru’s troubling pattern of deadly bus crashes on the country’s mountainous and winding roads. The incident marks another significant loss of life in a nation where transportation accidents frequently occur due to challenging terrain and road conditions.
Peru experienced several major bus accidents in recent years, including a crash in January that killed six people and injured 32 others when a bus plunged into a river. An even deadlier incident occurred in April 2024, resulting in 24 deaths and marking the country’s most fatal crash in several years.
In July 2024, eight members of the Antología del Folklore orchestra died when their bus crashed into a 200-meter ravine near Tarma while traveling from Oxapampa to Lima. That accident killed nine people total and injured 12 others, with witnesses reporting that the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle that had entered their lane.
Another fatal incident in October 2023 claimed the life of a 32-year-old British tourist and injured more than 20 others when a coach carrying foreign nationals crashed while traveling to the Mountain of Seven Colors in the Peruvian Andes. The British victim became trapped under the vehicle after it rolled over several times.
According to Peru’s Attorney General’s office, recklessness and excessive speed represent the leading causes of vehicular accidents throughout the country. These factors contribute significantly to the high rate of traffic fatalities on Peru’s roadways, particularly on mountain routes where buses navigate steep terrain and sharp curves.
The country’s traffic safety statistics paint a grim picture of road conditions. In 2024 alone, approximately 3,173 people died as a result of traffic accidents in Peru, according to official records cited by the Associated Press.
The Junín region, where Friday’s crash occurred, represents one of Peru’s key transportation corridors connecting the capital city of Lima with the Amazon basin. Buses regularly traverse these routes carrying passengers between urban centers and remote communities, often navigating challenging mountain passes and winding roads carved into steep hillsides.
Local television coverage showed the extensive emergency response at the crash site, with multiple agencies coordinating rescue and recovery efforts. The complexity of the terrain and the severity of the crash required significant resources to reach all victims and clear the wreckage from the ravine.
Transportation officials have not yet released specific details about road conditions or weather factors that may have contributed to the accident. The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the sequence of events that led to the bus leaving the roadway and plunging into the ravine.
The crash highlights ongoing safety concerns regarding Peru’s intercity bus transportation system, particularly on routes that traverse the country’s challenging Andean geography. Many of these roads feature steep grades, tight curves, and limited guardrails, creating hazardous conditions for large passenger vehicles.
As recovery efforts conclude and the investigation progresses, officials emphasize the need for enhanced safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations. The frequency of such accidents underscores the urgent need for improved road infrastructure and vehicle safety standards throughout Peru’s transportation network.
