Tepic, Nayarit — Two dozen people were killed after a passenger bus rolled down a 40-meter deep ravine. The bus accident happened in the tourist state of Nayarit early Thursday morning.
According to a report by Gobierno del Estado de Nayarit, the accident happened around 4:10 a.m. in an area called Barranca Blanca on the new North Bypass approximately 3 kilometers before the Trapichillo Booth.
The Attorney General’s Office reported the State Police attended an accident involving an Elite bus line vehicle which was traveling toward Mazatlán, Sinaloa after leaving Mexico City. Its final destination was Tijuana, Baja California.
Along the way, the bus left the road and fell into a ravine approximately forty meters deep. The Attorney General reported that “from the investigation, it is clear that the majority of the passengers are foreigners originating from countries such as India, Dominican Republic and from the African continent, among others, some of whom were heading to Tijuana to cross into the United States.
“From the information obtained so far, it is known that around 42 people were traveling in the bus and that the driver at the time of the accident was Francisco Javier “N”, 42 years old, originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, who is in custody as likely responsible for the events.
“A second driver was on board in the cabin area, named David “N”, who at that moment was sleeping since he had previously driven from Mexico City to Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he was relieved by the driver who is detained.
“The vehicle was in fair mechanical condition with no damage to its braking system, however, it was found that the unit’s tires showed noticeable wear. It is considered that the traffic event arose due to the lack of caution in driving by the driver of the reference vehicle, when traveling without limiting its speed, exceeding the permitted limits, which are a maximum of 80 kilometers per hour, causing it to lose control.”
More than 100 elements were deployed at the scene. The state agency added that “it has been possible to confirm that the total number of deaths after the mishap is 24 people, three of which were minors. Only 15 of the deceased have been identified.”
