MEXICO CITY, Dec 22 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least 21 people died after a bus collided with a tractor-trailer on Saturday, in the northeastern department of Zacapa, Guatemala, the nation’s Public Ministry announced.
According to authorities, the accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, on Kilometre 172 of the Atlantico route, in the municipality of Gualan, about 168 kilometres from Guatemala City.
Guatemalan authorities said, 18 people died on site while another three died after they were taken to Zacapa Hospital and the Gualan Health Centre. At least seven children between the ages of eight and 16 are among the dead.
“The drivers have been arrested and have been taken to Los Jocotes pretrial detention centre, located in the Zacapa department,” the Public Ministry stated.
Emergency services brought 11 injured people to nearby hospitals, which was registered around 3:20 local time (0920GMT), and four of those people remain hospitalised, Guatemalan Public Health Minister, Carlos Soto, reported through his Twitter account.
According to local media, the bus was en route to Guatemala City from the city of Santa Elena, in the Peten department, when it collided with the tractor-trailer at a curve on the road.– NNN-XINHUA
