Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Bus Crashes in 2004
Peruvia is A Synthesis of English Language News on Peru.
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This post lists bus accidents in Peru noted in English language media in 2004.
From Jan 21, 2004
Tragedy, Again: A wire story reports: "Twenty killed as bus plunges off cliff" on a road between Cuzco and Abancay. Abancay is "only 62 miles west of Cuzco, [but] the winding route takes about six hours."
From March 5, 2004
Tragedy: A wire story in an Australian newspaper and the German DPA relate the tragic and fatal accident between a cargo truck and a passenger bus in Arequipa. El Comercio also has a story on this.
From June 17, 2004
Tragedy in Junin: Xinhua Net reports that "at least six people were killed and nine others injured after a bus fell off a cliff" near Rio Negro, in Junin. "Police said it was caused by the slippery road conditions after rain."
From July 1, 2004
Bus Tragedy: Xinhua Net reports that "at least six people were killed and 17 wounded when a minibus fell into a chasm" near Ilimo, Lambayeque. The Reason: "The brakes failed."
From July 9, 2004
Tragedy in Ica: The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters and Xinhua all report on a bus accident on the Panamericana near Palpa, Ica which claimed 37 lives "when two Peruvian buses crashed head-on in thick fog." Said one anonymous police officer, "It was a head-on crash. We believe one of the buses left its lane to pass a truck." Xinhua says it was closer to Nasca. Skynews offers a photograph of the scene.
From July 19, 2004
Tragedy in Canta: The Associated Press reports that "a crowded bus plunged off a 150-metre cliff in Tarahuanca ... between the towns of Canta and Lachaqui, some 85 kilometres from Lima. Witnesses said as many as 60 people were in the bus."
From Aug 11, 2004
Tragedy in Cuzco: Ireland's RTE and Reuters reports that "a bus carrying Peruvians and foreign tourists has plunged into a gorge near Cuzco, killing five Peruvians and an Irish tourist and injuring 43 people including tourists from Britain, France and Israel," according to the police. The bus was travelling to the tourist city of Cuzco from near the Bolivian border, "when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a bridge in a steep river valley." The RTE notes that there is no Irish Embassy in Peru and the Department of Foreign Affairs says "it is offering consular assistance through the Irish Embassy in Mexico and the Honorary Consul in Peru."
From Aug 12, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco: Several updates report on yesterday's fatal bus accident near Urcos (going toward Cuzco) that involved a double-decker tour bus and killed at least seven passangers. The Associated Press TV offers a one-minute video report. (Warning: it includes graphic content.) According to the Associated Press , the accident happenned "around 4:30 a.m. at a bridge crossing the Cachimayo River." In addition to many Peruvians, the passengers were from Bolivia, Canada, Enland, France, Germany, Ireland, and Israel.
From March 5, 2004
Tragedy: A wire story in an Australian newspaper and the German DPA relate the tragic and fatal accident between a cargo truck and a passenger bus in Arequipa. El Comercio also has a story on this.
From June 17, 2004
Tragedy in Junin: Xinhua Net reports that "at least six people were killed and nine others injured after a bus fell off a cliff" near Rio Negro, in Junin. "Police said it was caused by the slippery road conditions after rain."
From July 1, 2004
Bus Tragedy: Xinhua Net reports that "at least six people were killed and 17 wounded when a minibus fell into a chasm" near Ilimo, Lambayeque. The Reason: "The brakes failed."
From July 9, 2004
Tragedy in Ica: The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters and Xinhua all report on a bus accident on the Panamericana near Palpa, Ica which claimed 37 lives "when two Peruvian buses crashed head-on in thick fog." Said one anonymous police officer, "It was a head-on crash. We believe one of the buses left its lane to pass a truck." Xinhua says it was closer to Nasca. Skynews offers a photograph of the scene.
From July 19, 2004
Tragedy in Canta: The Associated Press reports that "a crowded bus plunged off a 150-metre cliff in Tarahuanca ... between the towns of Canta and Lachaqui, some 85 kilometres from Lima. Witnesses said as many as 60 people were in the bus."
From Aug 11, 2004
Tragedy in Cuzco: Ireland's RTE and Reuters reports that "a bus carrying Peruvians and foreign tourists has plunged into a gorge near Cuzco, killing five Peruvians and an Irish tourist and injuring 43 people including tourists from Britain, France and Israel," according to the police. The bus was travelling to the tourist city of Cuzco from near the Bolivian border, "when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a bridge in a steep river valley." The RTE notes that there is no Irish Embassy in Peru and the Department of Foreign Affairs says "it is offering consular assistance through the Irish Embassy in Mexico and the Honorary Consul in Peru."
From Aug 12, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco: Several updates report on yesterday's fatal bus accident near Urcos (going toward Cuzco) that involved a double-decker tour bus and killed at least seven passangers. The Associated Press TV offers a one-minute video report. (Warning: it includes graphic content.) According to the Associated Press , the accident happenned "around 4:30 a.m. at a bridge crossing the Cachimayo River." In addition to many Peruvians, the passengers were from Bolivia, Canada, Enland, France, Germany, Ireland, and Israel.
Several sources note on the death of Irish citizen David Scollard; the Scotsman interviews the Scollard family priest in Ballybricken. London's Daily Standard includes a Reuters photo and adds a few details (or speculation?): The accident "happened when a minibus overtook the coach on a sharp bend. The smaller vehicle swerved to avoid an oncoming car, forcing the coach off the road." It also includes " the emergency numbers for worried relatives have both been changed. The Foreign Office should be contacted on 020 7008 1500 and Inghams on 020 8780 6600."
A selection of other stories: the Associated Press from Canada; the BBC; Xinhua Press; the Irish Examiner; an update from Irelands RTE; Britain's Telegraph ; and the UPI. None of the English language newspapers note that Bolivian citizen, Dora Encinas Gonzales, also died in the accident, among five other Peruvians. IN SPANISH : Cusco Noticias has a list of passenger names as well as other details. The bus, from the 'Pony' busline, was and was going from Juliaca to Cusco and crashed upon arriving at the Puente Cachimayo in the Quispicanchi province in a place known as Muñapata. The bus was not authorized to travel that route nor had it paid its SOAT taxes. SEE See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in yesterday's Peruvia.
From Aug 13, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco: The Belfast Telegraph (with a story from the Irish Independent) updates the Cuzco bus accident story with an interview of David O'Grady, "friend and fellow UCD student [of] David Scollard [who] was killed instantly after the bus they were travelling on missed a bridge and plunged to a river bed." NOTE: "There were no seat belts so everyone was hurled to the front." ALSO: "The bus was the best one we had been on. It looked structurally sound," O'Grady said. See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in yesterday's Peruvia.
From Aug 14, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, cont.: The Washington State Columbian has some original reporting on the bus accident near Cuzco and reports that four Vancouver residents vacationing in Peru were injured, including Yony Russell, her two teenage sons, Alex and Brandon; and the boys' friend, Mark Lisowski . "Russell is a native of Peru and her family often vacations there." ALSO: "Russell and Brandon, 13, are being treated at a Cuzco hospital for serious injuries. ... Alex also tended to his mother, who was transported to a hospital in the luggage compartment of another bus ."
From Aug 13, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco: The Belfast Telegraph (with a story from the Irish Independent) updates the Cuzco bus accident story with an interview of David O'Grady, "friend and fellow UCD student [of] David Scollard [who] was killed instantly after the bus they were travelling on missed a bridge and plunged to a river bed." NOTE: "There were no seat belts so everyone was hurled to the front." ALSO: "The bus was the best one we had been on. It looked structurally sound," O'Grady said. See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in yesterday's Peruvia.
From Aug 14, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, cont.: The Washington State Columbian has some original reporting on the bus accident near Cuzco and reports that four Vancouver residents vacationing in Peru were injured, including Yony Russell, her two teenage sons, Alex and Brandon; and the boys' friend, Mark Lisowski . "Russell is a native of Peru and her family often vacations there." ALSO: "Russell and Brandon, 13, are being treated at a Cuzco hospital for serious injuries. ... Alex also tended to his mother, who was transported to a hospital in the luggage compartment of another bus ."
From Aug 16, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, cont.: Washington States' Columbian reports that "three Vancouver residents who were injured in a bus accident in Peru last week will be coming home today." SEE See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in August 13's Peruvia.
From Aug 24, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, cont.: The Irish Independent reports that "the remains of [David Scollard,] the student killed in a bus accident in Peru some 12 days ago, were finally flown home." ALSO: "Mr Scollard's remains will be buried in his native Ballybricken after funeral mass tomorrow. The tragedy compounded the agony for the family who lost another son Michael in a Limerick car accident five years ago."
From Aug 25, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, etc.: U TV reports on David Scollard's funeral "the young Limerick man killed in a road accident in Peru two weeks ago. Separately, Washington State's Columbian has a piece on crash survivors Yony Russell who "is hospitalized with more than a dozen broken bones, some of them shattered. [Her son] Brandon, 13, suffered serious internal injuries. Surgeons removed his spleen and repaired a punctured lung and perforated stomach. Said Brandon, "I was actually looking out the window and wondering when we were going to crash." NOTE: "Out of the 60 passengers on the double-decker bus, nine were friends and relatives of the Russell family, several from Canada." Russell's husband said there was no question that he would keep traveling to Peru . "It's family. We have to go back." Another article in the Columbian details how the Russell's insurance provider, Kaiser Permanente, came to their aid. See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in August 13's Peruvia.
From Oct 1, 2004
Buses Kill: Reuters offers a review of "alarmingly frequent bus crashes in Peru . More than 100 people were killed in bus crashes in July and August, including at least one foreign tourist," according to police. "In Lima alone, 715 people died in bus crashes between January and August this year, 6% more than in the same period last year." NOTE: "The main victims are poor Peruvians, but travelers from Europe and the United States have also been injured in crashes this year, something that does not aid Peru's tourist industry, a key foreign exchange earner for the economy." CITED: Patrick Allemant (director of motor traffic, Ministry of Transportation and Communication); Joaquin Ormeno (Ormeno bus company); Gen. Cesar Marallano (head of Lima's transit police).
From Nov 3, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, cont.: The Irish Independent reports that "the remains of [David Scollard,] the student killed in a bus accident in Peru some 12 days ago, were finally flown home." ALSO: "Mr Scollard's remains will be buried in his native Ballybricken after funeral mass tomorrow. The tragedy compounded the agony for the family who lost another son Michael in a Limerick car accident five years ago."
From Aug 25, 2004
Tragedy Near Cuzco, etc.: U TV reports on David Scollard's funeral "the young Limerick man killed in a road accident in Peru two weeks ago. Separately, Washington State's Columbian has a piece on crash survivors Yony Russell who "is hospitalized with more than a dozen broken bones, some of them shattered. [Her son] Brandon, 13, suffered serious internal injuries. Surgeons removed his spleen and repaired a punctured lung and perforated stomach. Said Brandon, "I was actually looking out the window and wondering when we were going to crash." NOTE: "Out of the 60 passengers on the double-decker bus, nine were friends and relatives of the Russell family, several from Canada." Russell's husband said there was no question that he would keep traveling to Peru . "It's family. We have to go back." Another article in the Columbian details how the Russell's insurance provider, Kaiser Permanente, came to their aid. See Also: 'Tragedy Near Cuzco' in August 13's Peruvia.
From Oct 1, 2004
Buses Kill: Reuters offers a review of "alarmingly frequent bus crashes in Peru . More than 100 people were killed in bus crashes in July and August, including at least one foreign tourist," according to police. "In Lima alone, 715 people died in bus crashes between January and August this year, 6% more than in the same period last year." NOTE: "The main victims are poor Peruvians, but travelers from Europe and the United States have also been injured in crashes this year, something that does not aid Peru's tourist industry, a key foreign exchange earner for the economy." CITED: Patrick Allemant (director of motor traffic, Ministry of Transportation and Communication); Joaquin Ormeno (Ormeno bus company); Gen. Cesar Marallano (head of Lima's transit police).
From Nov 3, 2004
Tragedy in Apurímac: The Los Angeles Times has a wire piece (likely from the Associated Press) about a passenger bus that "plunged more than 650 feet off an isolated mountain highway in the Andes, killing at least 28 people and injuring 28 others " late Friday near the town of Chuquibambilla. Cited: Dr. Jose Altamirano Rojas and Radioprogramas radio. NOTE: The article adds that "Authorities said no foreign tourists were on the vehicle ." The Washington Post has a shorter summary. Reuters reports that "at least 23 people were killed and 27 injured when a bus hurtled into a deep gorge ... The bus was carrying local farmers and traders along a winding, potholed road."
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