LIMA, Peru (AP) – A tragic accident occurred on a highway in the Andes Mountains when a bus traveling from Lima to Peru's Amazon region overturned, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and leaving 48 individuals injured, according to authorities on Friday. The double-decker vehicle, operated by the company Expreso Molina Lúder Internacional, veered off the road and plunged down a slope in the district of Palca, located in the Junín region.

Clifor Curipaco, the health director of Junín, informed reporters about the incident, which shocked the local community and highlighted ongoing concerns about road safety in the region. Images broadcast on local television depicted a distressing scene, with the bus almost completely split in two, as firefighters and police worked urgently to rescue the injured passengers.

This unfortunate incident is not isolated; earlier this year, on January 3, another bus accident resulted in six deaths and 32 injuries when a vehicle fell into a river. These events have brought significant attention to the issue of road safety in Peru, where a study conducted by the Attorney General's Office identified recklessness and excessive speed as the primary contributing factors to the alarming number of traffic accidents in the country.

Officials have expressed concerns regarding the lack of adequate monitoring of road transportation by authorities in Peru. Emergency response services have been criticized for being alarmingly slow and disorganized. According to official statistics from the Death Information System, approximately 3,173 individuals lost their lives due to traffic accidents in Peru during 2024.

The repeating nature of these tragic incidents underlines the urgent need for improved road safety measures and more stringent regulations to protect passengers and ensure safer travel conditions across the country. As investigations into the recent accident continue, the focus remains on addressing the systemic issues that contribute to such preventable tragedies.