A tragic bus accident in Guatemala City has claimed the lives of at least 54 people after the vehicle lost control and plunged into a ravine on Monday, according to the country’s National Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The bus was crossing Belize Bridge in zone six of the capital when it veered off the road and fell into the steep ravine, officials confirmed.
Emergency response teams arrived at the scene to find the bus overturned and partially submerged in water. Wreckage was strewn across the area, with debris scattered both in the ravine and along the riverbank.
Graphic images shared by rescue teams on social media showed lifeless bodies lying near the wreckage as emergency workers tried to recover victims.
Rescuers had to work in darkness, using headlamps and torches to search for survivors, in the early hours of Monday morning.
Videos posted online captured the tense moments as firefighters, police officers, soldiers, and Red Cross members coordinated efforts to pull people from the wreckage.
Guatemala City’s Mayor, Ricardo Quiñonez Lemus, announced on Facebook that all available emergency agencies had been mobilised to speed up rescue operations.
The country’s President, Bernardo Arévalo, described the disaster as a “national pain” and expressed his condolences to the families affected. He declared a period of national mourning, acknowledging the deep sorrow felt across the country.
The Guatemalan Red Cross has since stepped in to provide psychological support for grieving families.
