At least 12 people were killed and several more injured Thursday when a bus turned over in Peru’s southern region of Arequipa, daily Peru.21 reported.
The accident occurred at about 7:35 a.m. when the inter-provincial bus, owned by the Julsa company, was traveling on the road from Arequipa to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
The chief of highway police, Antonio Llerena, said the accident was due to excessive speed.
Eleven people died immediately, while another passed away after being transported to a hospital in the city of Arequipa. Another 21 passengers were injured in the accident.
Deadly bus accidents are common in Peru, especially on narrow Andean roads where drivers travel at excessive speed. The issue is often a problem in Peru’s smaller and lesser-known bus companies, which fail to comply with mechanical standards and underpay their drivers. Some of the better-known companies, which are also slightly more expensive, very occasionally are involved in bus accidents but generally have high safety standards, including two drivers aboard for long haul trips.
