Guatemala City, February 10, 2025: A devastating bus crash in Guatemala City on Monday has left at least 51 people dead, making it one of the worst road accidents in Latin America in recent years, according to rescue officials.
The municipal fire department confirmed that the bus, carrying more than 70 passengers, broke through a guardrail and plunged 20 meters (65 feet) into a ravine, landing in a river contaminated with sewage. Victor Gomez, a spokesperson for the Volunteer Firefighters, stated that 51 bodies had been recovered and placed in a provisional morgue, while at least 10 injured passengers were rescued from the wreckage.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, declaring a period of national mourning.
“Today is a difficult day for the Guatemalan nation,” he said in a statement, as rescue efforts continued at the crash site.
According to the fire department’s Carlos Hernández, the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, crashing into several small cars before breaking through a metal railing and tumbling into the ravine.
Footage from AFPTV showed firefighters retrieving bodies from the murky, trash-filled river, passing them up the steep slope on stretchers.
The bus had been traveling from San Agustín Acasaguastlán in El Progreso department, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of Guatemala City, when the accident occurred.
Communications Minister Miguel Ángel Díaz revealed that the 30-year-old bus was still licensed for operation, but investigators are examining whether it was overloaded at the time of the crash.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the accident.
