Volunteer firefighters work at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025. (Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
GUATEMALA CITY - Dozens of people were killed Monday when a bus crashed through a guard rail and drove off a bridge near Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala.
What we know:
A fire rescue official said a multi-vehicle crash sent the bus off the bridge before dawn. The bus, which was carrying 75 people, came to rest oer 100 feet below, upside-down and partially submerged in what local officials described as wastewater.
At least 51 people were killed and another 15 people were seriously injured, AP said.
The bus had come from Progreso, which is northeast of the capital. A volunteer firefighting spokesman said children were among the victims.
What we don't know:
Specific details about the cause of the initial multi-vehicle crash were not immediately available. Officials have also not shared any information about where the bus was heading, or the exact ages and conditions of all of the victims.
What's next:
Crews, including soldiers, were still working the crash site Monday. Meanwhile, President Bernardo Arévalo offered his condolences and declared a day of national mourning.
What they're saying:
"I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims who wake up today to heartbreaking news. Your pain is my pain," Arevalo said on Facebook.
Dig deeper:
Such crashes, sometimes leading to dozens of fatalities, are not uncommon along roads in Central and South America, Agence France-Presse noted. In 2018, 52 people were killed when a bus fell off a cliff in Peru. In 2015, a tourist bus crash in Brazil left 54 people dead.
The Source: Information in this story came from reporting by the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. This story was reported from Tampa, Fla.