Peru bus crash: Vehicle plunges 200 metres into ravine after collision with truck; 37 killed, several injured

At least 37 people were killed in Peru on Wednesday after a bus fell into a ravine, after colliding with a truck, according to authorities quoted by multiple media outlets.

The crash occurred early in the day along a section of the Panamericana Sur highway linking Peru and Chile. "We have a figure of 37 fatalities," in addition to 24 injured, said Walther Oporto, the regional health manager of Arequipa, as quoted by AFP.

The bus, operated by the Llamosas company, was heading from Chala, a town in Caraveli province, to Arequipa. It was carrying 60 passengers.

The vehicle fell into a ravine approximately 200 meters (650 feet) deep after colliding head-on with a pickup truck on a curve, according to local media reports that cited firefighters. The specifics on the cause of the collision have not yet been revealed.

The crash in Arequipa, southern Peru, is among the deadliest road accidents the country has seen in recent years.

Although traffic accidents remain common across Peru, often attributed to excessive speeding, poor road conditions, inadequate signage, and lax enforcement by authorities, according to AFP.