At least 37 people were killed and 24 others injured early Wednesday after a passenger bus plunged into a 200-meter-deep ravine following a collision with a pickup truck in southern Peru’s Arequipa region, local authorities confirmed.

The tragic accident occurred along a mountainous section of the Panamericana Sur highway, one of the country’s most important routes connecting Peru with neighboring Chile. The crash took place near the town of Yauca, in Caravelí Province, at around 3:00 a.m. local time.

According to Arequipa’s regional health manager Walther Oporto, emergency responders worked through the morning to retrieve victims from the ravine.

“We have a figure of 37 fatalities and 24 injured. Most of the survivors have been taken to hospitals in Camaná and Arequipa,” Oporto told local media.

The ill-fated bus, operated by the Llamosas company, was traveling from the coastal town of Chala toward Arequipa city with around 60 passengers on board. Witnesses reported that the bus collided head-on with a pickup truck while attempting to navigate a sharp bend on the highway.

Photos and footage shared by Peruvian police and firefighters show the bus completely destroyed at the bottom of the rocky ravine, with emergency crews using ropes and stretchers to recover bodies and rescue survivors. Helicopters were later deployed to assist with medical evacuations.

Local media reported that poor visibility and excessive speed may have contributed to the accident. Investigators from Peru’s National Police and Transport Ministry have opened an inquiry into the cause of the collision. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Arequipa has ordered an autopsy for the drivers involved and an inspection of both vehicles.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for an urgent review of road safety measures on national highways.

“We mourn this terrible loss of life in Arequipa. I have ordered the Ministry of Transport to conduct a full investigation and strengthen controls to prevent such tragedies,” she said in a statement.

Traffic accidents remain a persistent problem in Peru, particularly in remote Andean and coastal regions where steep terrain, narrow roads, and limited signage increase risks. According to official data, more than 3,000 people die annually in road crashes across the country — one of the highest rates in South America.

Emergency crews remained at the crash site late Wednesday as authorities worked to identify victims and clear debris from the Panamericana Sur, which was temporarily closed to traffic for rescue operations. (ILKHA)