A tragic accident involving a double-decker bus in Peru’s Junín region on Friday, July 25, led to 18 fatalities and 48 people injured after the bus lost control on a slope and split apart when it hit the ground. The vehicle, run by Expreso Molina Líder Internacional, had over 60 passengers on board when it veered into a ravine while traveling from Lima toward the Amazon region.
Health director Clifor Curipaco shared confirmed numbers with reporters, stating that 15 victims died at the site of the crash, while three more succumbed to their injuries in local hospitals. Authorities also verified that two of those killed were children. The rest of the passengers sustained various injuries.
After the crash, video footage revealed the bus torn completely in two, lying on its roof after dropping more than 160 feet into the ravine. Scenes showed police and firefighters working intensively to reach and rescue survivors trapped inside the overturned wreckage.
Aldo Tineo, a health official based in Tarma, central Peru, confirmed that efforts were underway to identify those who died and to clarify the reasons for the crash. The ongoing investigation aims to determine what caused the bus to swerve off the winding road and tumble into the ravine.
The crash site was strewn with shattered windows and broken glass, reflecting the force of the accident. Local TV reports broadcasted rescue teams working urgently to pull victims from the twisted remains. Both halves of the bus were visible in the coverage, emphasizing just how severe the impact was.
This incident underscores Peru’s ongoing struggle with deadly bus crashes on its winding, mountainous roads. In recent years, the country has seen several major accidents, among them a crash in January that left six people dead and 32 injured when a bus plunged into a river. In April 2024, another catastrophic accident claimed 24 lives, marking the worst such tragedy in recent years.
Only a year earlier, in July 2024, eight members of the Antología del Folklore orchestra perished when their bus drove off a road and fell 200 meters into a ravine near Tarma. The group was traveling from Oxapampa to Lima when the crash happened, resulting in nine deaths and injuring 12 more. A witness said the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle, causing the bus to drop over the edge.
Peru’s Attorney General’s office has pointed to carelessness and speeding as the main contributors to road accidents across the country. Official figures reveal that “about 3,173 people died in traffic accidents” in Peru during 2024, highlighting the gravity of the country’s road safety concerns.
Peru’s difficult terrain, with its steep mountains and sharp bends, plays a significant role in both the frequency and seriousness of such crashes. Many key roads connecting cities to remote areas force buses to travel across dangerous landscapes, often without adequate safety measures.
The route linking Lima to the Amazon region is heavily used by locals and tourists heading toward Peru’s lush eastern rainforest. The Junín region, where this accident took place, remains an essential passageway for travelers braving the country’s challenging Andean landscape.