The Facts
At least 24 people died Monday after a bus traveling from Peru's south-central region of Ayacucho to Huancayo, the capital of the Junin region, veered off a mountainous road and plunged down a slope, according to Molina Union — the bus company.
Defense Minister Jorge Chávez put the death toll of the crash, in which the bus fell down a 656-foot ravine, at 25, adding 34 were injured. Images appear to show the battered bus on its side near a river, with debris and personal belongings strewn about.
The Spin
Narrative A
Stories like this emerge all the time in Peru, with road accidents causing thousands of deaths every year. For two decades now, experts have been pointing to the country's dilapidated infrastructure as the main culprit, and for just as many years, those calls have fallen on deaf ears. How many more have to die before the government finally implements the simple policy of building safe roads?
Narrative B
While these crashes are always tragic, it's important to remember that first responders have already been able to treat the wounded and send those in need to the hospital. Furthermore, the transportation ministry has quickly responded to the incident and will work to uncover how this bus crash occurred.
