At least 15 people were killed and more than 15 others injured after an intermunicipal passenger bus veered off a roadway and plunged into a deep ravine in western Guatemala, authorities said on Saturday.

The accident occurred late Friday night outside the town of Totonicapán, along the Inter-American Road, one of the country’s main transportation routes. According to officials, the bus lost control for reasons still under investigation before leaving the road and crashing into the ravine.

Rescue teams worked for more than two hours to recover the bodies of those killed and to extract injured passengers from the wreckage. Authorities said 15 people remain hospitalized, receiving treatment for injuries ranging from moderate to severe.

Local officials said the cause of the accident has not yet been determined, though investigators are examining whether speed, road conditions, or mechanical failure may have contributed to the crash. The rugged terrain and steep ravines along the route complicated rescue efforts.

Road accidents are a persistent problem in Guatemala, a mountainous country where narrow, two-lane highways connect many towns and cities and where transportation safety regulations are often poorly enforced.

In October, the National Transportation Safety Observatory, a government agency, reported that 446 public vehicles had been involved in traffic accidents across the country in 2025. Those incidents resulted in 111 deaths and more than 600 injuries as of October.

The latest tragedy has renewed calls from safety advocates for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, improved vehicle inspections, and safer road infrastructure to prevent similar disasters. (ILKHA)