At Least 50 Killed After Bus Plunges Off Bridge and Crashes Into Ravine

Mar. 15, 2025

Firefighters work at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.Photo:JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty

JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty

A crowded bus in Guatemala plunged off a bridge and into a polluted ravine this week, killing at least 50 of its passengers, according to multiple news outlets.In the early hours of Monday, Feb. 10, the bus was traveling down Belice Bridge when it collided with two vehicles and lost control,The New York TimesandCBS Newsreport.The collision caused the bus — which had traveled out of Progreso, about 58 miles northeast of Guatemala City — to fall 115 feet into a sewage-polluted stream,The Independentreported, citing officials.The bus crashed through a metal safety railing and landed upside down and half-submerged, trapping survivors, according to CBS News. Photos from the scene showed the front of the bus under water and the windows cracked.Rescuers and firefighters work at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via GettyAccording toThe Tico Times, an English-language media organization based in Costa Rica, the bus carried more than 70 passengers. ANew York Timesvideoshowed at least one male passenger being carried up the hill on a stretcher from the twisted wreckage. His condition is unknown.Guatemala City Mayor Ricardo Quiñónezconfirmed on Xthat emergency services had been deployed to the area and that police were working on establishing alternate routes for those traveling to the area.Benemérito Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos de Guatemala, a volunteer fire department, wrote onFacebookthat it took more than six and a half hours to rescue the bodies of the people who were trapped in the bus.Cruz Roja Guatemalteca, a nonprofit organization, wrote onFacebookthat in addition to assisting with recovery efforts, it helped offer “psychosocial support and pre-hospital care to 100 family members on site.“Aerial view shows firefighters and police working at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via GettyGuatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo spoke out about the incident onX, calling it a “tragedy.““I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims who woke up today with heartbreaking news. Their pain is my pain,” he said in his statement.The president said he had instructed “the mobilization of the National Army personnel and CONRED (a government agency that helps with disaster relief) to assist at the scene.““Furthermore, I have decided to declare national mourning, which will soon be formalized via government decree,” he added.Claudinne Ogaldes, CONRED’s executive secretary, confirmed in avideo update on Mondayafternoon that the crash left more than 50 people dead.Guatemala’s National Civil Police identified the number of people dead as 54, according to a Monday night update onX, and said that 10 others were injured.Soldiers and police officers evacuate the body of one of the victims of a bus accident in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty"The CONRED system, through the rescue forces and municipal authorities, has finished the search and rescue operations. The local emergency center for Zone 6 remains active,” said Ogaldes.She asked the public to “stay informed through official sources” and to allow the Public Ministry and INACIF (or Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses de Guatemala) to identify victims.INACIF released astatementlate on Monday announcing that it had identified 23 bodies and noted that their causes of death were polytrauma.According to theNational Institutes of Health, polytrauma is “when a patient has sustained multiple injuries, some of which may cause significant disability and may be life-threatening.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.INAFIC said that its morgue had 14 bodies pending identification, including those of three children. As of Monday night, the bodies of 35 individuals had been turned over to their families, per the National Civil Police.

A crowded bus in Guatemala plunged off a bridge and into a polluted ravine this week, killing at least 50 of its passengers, according to multiple news outlets.

In the early hours of Monday, Feb. 10, the bus was traveling down Belice Bridge when it collided with two vehicles and lost control,The New York TimesandCBS Newsreport.

The collision caused the bus — which had traveled out of Progreso, about 58 miles northeast of Guatemala City — to fall 115 feet into a sewage-polluted stream,The Independentreported, citing officials.

The bus crashed through a metal safety railing and landed upside down and half-submerged, trapping survivors, according to CBS News. Photos from the scene showed the front of the bus under water and the windows cracked.

Rescuers and firefighters work at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty

According toThe Tico Times, an English-language media organization based in Costa Rica, the bus carried more than 70 passengers. ANew York Timesvideoshowed at least one male passenger being carried up the hill on a stretcher from the twisted wreckage. His condition is unknown.

Guatemala City Mayor Ricardo Quiñónezconfirmed on Xthat emergency services had been deployed to the area and that police were working on establishing alternate routes for those traveling to the area.

Benemérito Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos de Guatemala, a volunteer fire department, wrote onFacebookthat it took more than six and a half hours to rescue the bodies of the people who were trapped in the bus.

Cruz Roja Guatemalteca, a nonprofit organization, wrote onFacebookthat in addition to assisting with recovery efforts, it helped offer “psychosocial support and pre-hospital care to 100 family members on site.”

Aerial view shows firefighters and police working at the scene of an accident in which a bus fell down a ravine in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo spoke out about the incident onX, calling it a “tragedy.”

“I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims who woke up today with heartbreaking news. Their pain is my pain,” he said in his statement.

The president said he had instructed “the mobilization of the National Army personnel and CONRED (a government agency that helps with disaster relief) to assist at the scene.”

“Furthermore, I have decided to declare national mourning, which will soon be formalized via government decree,” he added.

Claudinne Ogaldes, CONRED’s executive secretary, confirmed in avideo update on Mondayafternoon that the crash left more than 50 people dead.

Guatemala’s National Civil Police identified the number of people dead as 54, according to a Monday night update onX, and said that 10 others were injured.

Soldiers and police officers evacuate the body of one of the victims of a bus accident in Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty

“The CONRED system, through the rescue forces and municipal authorities, has finished the search and rescue operations. The local emergency center for Zone 6 remains active,” said Ogaldes.

She asked the public to “stay informed through official sources” and to allow the Public Ministry and INACIF (or Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses de Guatemala) to identify victims.

INACIF released astatementlate on Monday announcing that it had identified 23 bodies and noted that their causes of death were polytrauma.

According to theNational Institutes of Health, polytrauma is “when a patient has sustained multiple injuries, some of which may cause significant disability and may be life-threatening.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

INAFIC said that its morgue had 14 bodies pending identification, including those of three children. As of Monday night, the bodies of 35 individuals had been turned over to their families, per the National Civil Police.

source: people.com