37 Dead in Peru Bus Crash Near Arequipa Ravine

At least 37 people died and more than a dozen others were injured early Wednesday when a passenger bus collided with a pickup truck and plunged over 200 meters into a ravine in Peru's southern Arequipa region, authorities reported.

The accident occurred around 12:30 a.m. local time on a winding highway near the Ocoña River. The bus, carrying approximately 60 passengers, was traveling from the mining town of Chala in Caraveli province to Arequipa, Peru's second-largest city. According to regional health manager Walther Oporto, the bus struck the oncoming pickup truck on a curve before veering off the road and falling to the rocky riverbank below. The bus driver was among those killed, while the truck driver survived and was detained at the scene.

Rescue operations proved challenging in the rugged terrain, with firefighters and police coordinating efforts to recover bodies, evacuate the injured and secure the site. Fire department spokesman Jack Paez described the scene to local media as one that "has brought grief to many families." Officials reported 36 fatalities at the crash site and one additional death at a hospital. At least 13 people were injured, including an...