Two Peruvian tourists and two Colombians died after the vehicle in which they were traveling fell into a ravine of more than 100 meters, after leaving Machu Picchu. Another 16 people of different nationalities were injured, with different levels of severity.
Four tourists died, including two Colombians, and another 16 were injured after visiting the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, when a minibus fell into an abyss on a road Peruauthorities reported on Monday.
The injured are four French, two Greeks, two Israelis, two Canadians, two Argentines, two Peruvians, one Dutch and another still unidentified, according to the balance of the regional government of Cusco, where the famous stone citadel is located.
“We have four dead tourists, including two Colombians, after the fall of a van [minibús] to an abyss of a little more than 100 meters,” said the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roberto Sánchez, at a press conference together with regional officials.
The road accident occurred on Sunday night in the Abra Málaga area, about 105 km from the city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire.
Foreign tourists among the victims
“The accident site was foggy. We regret this tragic event,” said Sánchez, who explained that the other two fatalities have not yet been identified.
The vehicle fell into the abyss after they visited Machu Picchu on Sunday, he added.
The minister reported that in the next few hours a plane from the Peruvian Air Force will transfer some of the wounded to Lima.
“We express our condolences to the families and governments of the unfortunately deceased foreign tourists,” the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.
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— MINCETUR ???????? (@MINCETUR) August 22, 2022
Accidents on Peruvian highways are frequent due to speeding, the poor condition of the routes, the lack of signage and the lack of control by the authorities.
On July 31, the fall of a truck into a 200-meter abyss left 16 dead, including children, on a remote rural road in the central region of Junín.
Some 5,000 national and foreign tourists visit Machu Picchu daily, built in the fifteenth century by the Inca emperor Pachacútec and considered the jewel of Peruvian tourism.