It was 5.00 on February 10 when he was alerted to an accident of an extra -urban bus on La Paz road. The vehicle fell into a hollow on the Las Vacas river. 54 passengers died, while nine were rescued and transferred to the General San Juan de Dios Hospital and the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS).
A month after the fatal accident, extra -urban buses continue to circulate at high speed along roads, and road mishaps continue. Monitoring of the General Directorate of Transportation (DGT) Account 24 accidents since then and in which extra -urban buses have been involved, from collisions with other vehicles to more serious incidents in which the units have left the road.
February 13, In the descent of Villalobos, a truck crashed into a tree and a post, which prevented it from falling into a ravine. Two people were injured and were transferred to a health center.
Six days later, February 19, In km 13.5 of the road to San Pedro Ayampuc, the pilot of an extra -urban bus lost control when trying to pass a truck. The unit skidded and was crossed on the road. They were not reported injured in the accident.
February 24a bus and a trailer collided in the village Quebrada Grande, Morales, Izabal. The lifeguards rescued several injured from the inside of the bus, whose front body was destroyed.
The next day, February 25, On the San Juan road, zone 7 capital, an extra -urban truck that circulated at excessive speed collided with a central driver tree.
One more event occurred in Tiquisate, Escuintla, February 26. In a collective accident, a bus was affected, and hydraulic equipment was needed to rescue passengers. Thirteen people resulted in injuries.
The director of the General Directorate of Transportation (DGT), Elizabeth Velásquez, indicated that they have carried out operations, some in coordination with a regulatory metropolitan entity (ether) and the General Directorate of Road Protection and Safety (Provial), to review extra -urban transport units. Since February 15, 2025, The DGT has carried out 97 operations in different points of the main roads of the country, in which He has reviewed 1,604 cars.
In this period, 39 fines that total Q548 thousand have been placed, For reasons such as operating with defeated documents, not carrying documents, having the overdue insurance policy and passenger overload, among others.
On March 3, an inter -institutional operation was held on La Pedrera Boulevard, zone 6 capital. Four overloaded buses were detected; More than 50 people were traveling on the grill or in the cargo area of the trucks. The diligence was repeated on March 7 in zones 2 and 6 of the capital, as well as in the perimeter of Chinautla, municipality of the department of Guatemala.
As a result of the operations, lDGT placed seven fines, for an amount of Q3 thousand each, Because buses exceeded the number of passengers authorized on the operation card.
Tragic accident
On February 10, security cameras installed at the points where the injured bus circulated captured that it was going to excessive speed and hit several vehicles. One of them was on the edge of the precipice.
The bus belonged to the transport company Tineca and covered the route between the Virgin Estancia village, in San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán, El Progreso, and the capital. According to the General Directorate of Transportation (DGT), the unit had a current operation license and had an active insurance. However, I was 30 years old, and The pilot did not have type A license, which is required to conduct passenger transport.
Velásquez said that the company was imposed two fines: one of Q10 thousand for being out of the route, and another of Q5 thousand because the pilot was not registered. Both were already canceled.
The director of the DGT mentioned that they carried out an analysis of the other units of the company of the injured bus – around five – to verify if they had insurance, license per day and other documentation. “The documentation is online,” he said.
In relation to the causes of the tragic accident, Velásquez explained that it is the Public Ministry that is in charge of the investigation.
Victims
The tragedy left 54 deaths, which led the Executive to declare three days of national mourning. There was also people rescued alivewho were transferred to different care centers. In total, nine survivors were treated.
Six people entered General Hospital; Two of them died at the entrance, and four were treated in the traumatology area. According to the Communication Department of the Assistance Center, two of the patients graduated on the same day of the accident, another the next day, and another on February 17. His ages range between 24 and 34 years, and They continue their recovery process in their homes.
The IGSS Ceibal Accident Hospital attended five injured. Three entered the surgery area, presented fractures in femur, clavicle and other bone lesions. Patients are men between 42 and 61 years.
According to the IGSS report, all patients were already discharged.