Four tourists died and 16 were injured, including four French, in a bus accident in Peru after visiting the citadel of Machu Picchu, authorities announced on Monday August 22.
Two of the deceased tourists are of Colombian nationality, the other two have not yet been formally identified, said the regional government of Cusco (south).
In addition to the four French, among the injured are two Greeks, two Canadians, two Israelis, two Argentines, two Peruvians, a Dutchman and a person not yet identified.
Read alsoPeru: tourists protest against the suspension of entries to Machu Picchu
The accident occurred on the night of Sunday to Monday about a hundred kilometers from the city of Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, the main starting point for tour operators organizing visits to Machu Picchu.
The coach crashed into "
a ravine of more than 100 meters
", indicated the Minister of Labor and Tourism Roberto Sanchez, according to whom "
there was fog where the accident occurred
".
Some injured were to be transferred to Lima in a plane chartered by the Air Force, he added.
Road accidents are frequent in Peru, due in particular to the state of the road network, excessive speed or lack of signage.
Three weeks ago, 16 people died when their coach crashed into a ravine in central Junin province.
Some 5,000 tourists on average visit Machu Picchu daily, built in the 15th century by the Inca emperor Pachacutec, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and among the list of wonders of the world.
SEE ALSO
- Exhibition: the well-kept secrets of Machu Picchu