Four tourists died and sixteen others were injured, including four French people, in a bus accident that occurred overnight from Sunday to Monday in Peru, about a hundred kilometers from the city of Cusco, announced on Monday August 22 , the Peruvian authorities.
Three of the deceased tourists are of Colombian nationality, the fourth is of Peruvian nationality, the ministry said in a statement. In addition to the four Frenchmen, two Greeks, two Canadians, two Israelis, two Argentines, a Dutchman, a Spaniard and two Peruvians, including the driver, are among the injured.
The coach crashed into “a ravine of more than 100 meters”
The accident happened after visiting the citadel of Machu Pichu. The coach crashed into “a ravine of more than 100 meters”said the Minister of Labor and Tourism, Roberto Sanchez, according to which “There was fog where the accident happened”. Some of the injured had to be transferred to Lima in a plane chartered by the air force, he added.
“We express our condolences to the families and governments of foreign tourists who have sadly passed away”said the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Twitter.
The ancient Inca capital remains the main starting point for tour operators organizing visits to Machu Pichu. Some 5,000 tourists on average visit Machu Pichu daily, built in the 15the century by the Inca emperor Pachacutec; the site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and on the list of wonders of the world.
Road accidents are frequent in Peru, due in particular to the state of the road network, excessive speed or lack of signage. Three weeks ago, sixteen people died in the accident of the coach on which they were traveling. This one crashed into a ravine in the province of Junin (center).