The incident happened after visiting the citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru. Four tourists died and 16 were injured, including four French people, in a bus accident, authorities announced on Monday. The vehicle crashed into “a ravine of more than 100 m”, said Minister of Labor and Tourism Roberto Sanchez, according to whom “there was fog where the accident occurred”.
Three of the deceased tourists are of Colombian nationality, the fourth of Peruvian nationality, the ministry said in a statement. In addition to the four French, among the injured are two Greeks, two Canadians, two Israelis, two Argentines, a Dutchman, a Spaniard and two Peruvians, including the driver.
The accident occurred on the night of Sunday to Monday about a hundred kilometers from the city of Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital, the main starting point for tour operators organizing visits to Machu Picchu. Some injured were 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,” the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.
Frequent accidents
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, 16 people died when their coach crashed into a ravine in central Junin province.
Some 5,000 tourists on average visit Machu Picchu daily, built in the 15th century by the Inca emperor Pachacutec, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and among the list of wonders of the world.