22 Dead in Peru Bus Crash

VOA Breaking News
Voice of America
February 26, 2011 at 1:05 am

A bus in Peru has swerved off a road and crashed into a deep ravine, killing as many as 22 people.

A police official told a local radio at least 37 people also were injured when the bus plunged 180 meters into the ravine. The incident happened Friday afternoon as the bus traveled from the city of Huancayo to the Peruvian capital, Lima.

Some media reports indicate the accident happened because the driver was trying to pass another vehicle and lost control of the bus.

Fatal accidents are common on Peru's narrow, mountainous roads. Many buses are poorly maintained and drivers routinely overcrowd their vehicles with passengers.