At least 54 people have died after a bus fell into a valley while crossing the Belice Bridge in Guatemala City, on Monday local time. Taiwan’s Embassy in Guatemala expressed its sympathies to the victim's families on social media, offering solidarity with the people of Guatemala and support during this difficult time.
In response to the tragedy, Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo declared a national mourning and instructed the national army and the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) to assist on-site and activate special medical protocols for the wounded.
According to CNA, surveillance footage shows the bus traveling over 60 kilometers per hour as it crossed the bridge above the valley in the early morning. Combined with a malfunctioning braking system that failed to slow the vehicle, this likely caused the bus to crash through the guardrail and drop into the valley.
Rescue operations remain challenging as many victims were trapped in the wreckage, with some bodies swept downstream by a river at the crash site. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.