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An intermunicipal bus strayed from the road in Guatemala and fell into a deep ravine, resulting in the death of 15 passengers and injuring at least 15 others, officials said on Saturday, and the nation declared a three day national mourning.
As road accidents are common in Guatemala, the accident occurred on Friday night outside the town of Totonicapan along a route known as the Interamerican Road.
Authorities said relief workers took at least two hours to recover the bodies from the site where the accident occurred. Fifteen people were still being treated for injuries at local hospitals.
“I profoundly regret the tragedy which happened along the Interamerican Route,” President Bernardo Arevalo said in a social media statement.
“We are coordinating all necessary actions to assist those who have been affected,” he further added.
As Guatemala being a mountainous country, transportation regulations are loosely enforced and connected by two lane roads.
Most of the accidents are reported by public sector transportation. In October, the National Transportation Safety Obervatory, a government agency, said that 446 public transportation vehicles in the country had been involved in accidents in 2025.
The accidents resulted in 111 deaths and more than 600 people injured through October.
As road accidents are common in Guatemala, the accident occurred on Friday night outside the town of Totonicapan along a route known as the Interamerican Road.
Authorities said relief workers took at least two hours to recover the bodies from the site where the accident occurred. Fifteen people were still being treated for injuries at local hospitals.
“I profoundly regret the tragedy which happened along the Interamerican Route,” President Bernardo Arevalo said in a social media statement.
“We are coordinating all necessary actions to assist those who have been affected,” he further added.
As Guatemala being a mountainous country, transportation regulations are loosely enforced and connected by two lane roads.
Most of the accidents are reported by public sector transportation. In October, the National Transportation Safety Obervatory, a government agency, said that 446 public transportation vehicles in the country had been involved in accidents in 2025.
The accidents resulted in 111 deaths and more than 600 people injured through October.
