A tragic accident unfolded in Guatemala City on Monday morning when a bus carrying 75 passengers veered off the Puente de Belice bridge and plunged into a ravine, leaving at least 31 people dead and many others injured or trapped under the wreckage.
Rescue workers rushed to the scene to recover bodies and assist survivors. Mynor Ruano, a spokesman for the city’s fire service, confirmed that 31 bodies had been retrieved from the bus and that emergency workers were actively working to save those still trapped. “Thirty-one bodies have been recovered from the bus so far, and we are trying to save other people who are trapped,” Ruano told reporters.
The accident occurred at the northern entrance to Guatemala’s capital, where the bus crashed into a river contaminated with effluent. Emergency teams managed to extricate at least 10 injured individuals from the wreckage, who were then rushed to local hospitals for medical attention. Many of the passengers are believed to have suffered severe injuries due to the impact of the fall.
The ill-fated bus was en route to Guatemala City from San Agustin Acasaguastlan, a town in the El Progreso department, located approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of the capital. The cause of the accident remains unclear, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether factors such as mechanical failure, driver error, or road conditions played a role in the deadly crash.
Local media reports indicate that the accident took place in the early morning, a time when visibility may have been poor. The Puente de Belice bridge, a critical route into the city, has been the site of previous accidents, raising concerns about road safety measures in the region.
In response to the tragedy, Guatemala’s President and other government officials have expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and pledged to review transportation safety regulations to prevent future occurrences. Meanwhile, emergency responders continue to work tirelessly at the crash site, searching for any remaining survivors amid the wreckage.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the country, with many mourning the lives lost in what is one of Guatemala’s worst bus accidents in recent years. Families of the victims are gathering at hospitals and morgues, anxiously awaiting news about their loved ones. As authorities investigate the cause of the accident, calls for improved road safety and stricter enforcement of transportation regulations are growing louder.
