Bus accident kills at least 10 in central Peru

A bus accident in Peru's central Andean region on Saturday has left at least 10 dead and 15 others injured, a local bus company's representative confirmed.

The accident took place during a steep road section that joins the city of Lima with the country's central area, in the heart of the Andes mountain range, at around 05:30 am local time, said Jaime Santivanez, representative from local bus company Estrella Polar.

The double-decker bus came off the road and fell about 20 meters off a cliff in yet unknown circumstances. The passengers were travelling toward the city of Cerro de Pasco, 295 km to the east of Lima, Santivanez said.

The representative said the driver is identified as 28-year-old Oledico Torres Cruz. Further information has yet to be announced.

The bus had all its maintenance and mechanical checks up-to-date before the accident, Santivanez said.

The rescue teams of firefighters rushed to the scene. The injured were taken to nearby medical centers where they remained under observation.

The National Police launched an investigation into the cause of this fatal accident.

Local media have placed the death toll at 12 and injured at 30.

In Peru's Andean region, fatal accidents frequently happen due to the rugged road conditions which are generally plagued with high cliffs and severe drops.

Source: XINHUA