Nineteen people were killed and seven others injured when a bus plunged into a ravine in the northern province of Chachapoyas, Peru’s National Police told Efe on Friday.
The bus ran off the road Thursday night while traveling to the Amazonian city of Rodriguez de Mendoza.
Authorities suspect the driver fell asleep at the wheel, Chachapoyas Gov. Jose Santos said.
“The vehicle left at 6:00 in the evening from Chachapoyas province destined for the city of Rodriguez de Mendoza, a half hour before reaching its destination, the accident happened,” Santos told RPP radio.
The injured were taken to a hospital in Rodriguez de Mendoza and those in the worst condition may be transferred to better-equipped facilities in Chachapoyas, authorities said.
Accidents are common in the Peruvian interior, due to a combination of poorly maintained roads, aging vehicles and rugged terrain.
