A bus crash in Guatemala City killed at least 53 people and injured several more after the vehicle fell off a bridge and plunged into a ravine in early Monday morning, according to government officials.
The bus was lodged in a hard-to-reach ravine and submerged in a river of sewage, according to footage from the scene. Luggage and personal belongings were scattered across the waters’ banks. The number of dead was expected to rise from the crash, officials said, which occurred at about 4:30 a.m. local time.
The public prosecutor’s office, which released the death toll in a statement, said it was investigating the crash.
The bus driver may have lost control of the vehicle because of a mechanical failure, causing it to collide with two other vehicles, said Carlos Hernández, a spokesman for Guatemala City’s fire department. Mr. Hernández, however, cautioned that an investigation into the accident was still ongoing. Local media outlets published security-camera footage of the bus, which appeared to be speeding right before the collision.
President Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala declared a day of national mourning and ordered the army to mobilize and support rescue efforts.
“I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims who today woke up to heartbreaking news,” Mr. Arévalo said in a televised address to the nation. “Their pain is my pain.”
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