A firefighter attends to a bus that fell from a bridge at the site of a tragic accident near Guatemala City on February 10, 2025.
Moises Castillo/AP

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Moises Castillo/AP

GUATEMALA CITY — A devastating bus accident on the outskirts of Guatemala’s capital has resulted in the loss of at least 55 lives. The bus fell into a gorge and came to rest under a bridge early Monday morning.

Officials from the public ministry reported that 53 bodies were retrieved from the scene, while two additional fatalities were confirmed at San Juan de Dios Hospital.

Spokesperson for the firefighters, Edwin Villagran, stated that the bus was involved in a multi-vehicle collision that caused it to veer off the road and plummet into the steep ravine before dawn. Several others sustained serious injuries.

The bus fell approximately 115 feet into a sewage-contaminated stream, landing upside down and partially submerged.

The ill-fated bus was traveling from Progreso, located northeast of the capital. Volunteer firefighter spokesman Óscar Sánchez reported that children were among the deceased.

In response to the tragedy, President Bernardo Arévalo expressed his condolences and designated a national day of mourning.