The Peruvian government informed this Monday that 3 Colombian tourists and another Peruvian died in the traffic accident reported yesterday in the southern region of Cuzco, where a tourist service vehicle that was taking an alternative route to reach the Machu Picchu plunged into a 100 meter chasm.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism confirmed in a statement that as a result of the incident, 4 people died and 16 others were injured and transferred to clinics in the city of Cusco.

Among the injured, according to the portfolio, are 2 people from Israel, 4 from France, 2 from Argentina, 2 others from Greece, one from Holland, another from Spain and 2 Peruvians, in addition to 2 Canadian citizens, one of whom is hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU).

“We regret the accident that occurred in the Cusco – Quillabamba sector. condolences to the families of the 4 deceased: 3 of Colombian nationality and 1 of Peruvian nationality. We are monitoring the state of health of the 16 injured”, declared the Peruvian president, Pedro Castillo, on his Twitter account this Monday.

📢 #RELEASE | Regarding the accident that caused the death of four tourists in the Abra Málaga sector, at km 134 of the road network #Cusco – Quillabamba, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism reports the following👉https://t.co/Ljl2w2WdpF pic.twitter.com/8QAKBda3ko

— MINCETUR 🇵🇪 (@MINCETUR) August 22, 2022

The President added that he has arranged for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to grant “all facilities for the injured, so that they communicate with their relatives and the respective embassies, in addition to the repatriation of the bodies of the victims.

They were going to Machu Picchu at night

The accident happened around 7 p.m. on Sunday, at kilometer 134 of the Cusco-Quillabamba road network, in an area known like Abra Malaga. The vehicle involved in the accident was taking an alternate route to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu when it rolled over and fell into a 100-meter abyss.

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On board the vehicle were 20 people, including the driver, 2 Peruvian tourists and 17 other foreigners.

According to information provided to the Andean Agency by Colonel William Falcón Berrocal, head of the La Convencion police division, the 4 dead are 3 men and a woman.

Police arrived at the scene to investigate the causes of the accident and carry out rescue work on the bodies, in addition to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roberto Sánchez, who is coordinate the work of repatriation of the deceased and transportation of the wounded.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with embassies and consulates to contact relatives of those affected or deceased,” the ministry wrote in the statement.

For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed through social networks its “condolences to the relatives and governments of the foreign tourists who unfortunately passed away” and confirmed that it would maintain “cross-sector coordination with relevant authorities” to provide the necessary support.

alarming figures

Accidents of this magnitude are common on the roads of Peru, caused mainly by reckless drivers, poor road and vehicle conditions, and harsh geography conditions.

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Every year they die Peru about 3000 people in traffic accidents, the majority being due to runovers, and some 55,000 are injured, according to figures from the National Road Safety Council.

EFE.