At least 17 people died and 12 others were injured Wednesday when two buses collided on a road in northwestern Honduras, according to fire officials.
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“On the spot there were 15 dead, 14 injured were transported to the Occidente Hospital (in Santa Rosa de Copán, editor's note) and of the 14 it was confirmed that two died,” he told the newspaper. “AFP firefighter.” Abdul Orellana.
The accident occurred early in the morning on a mountain road between the towns of Santa Rosa de Copan and Gracias, about 220 km northwest of the capital Tegucigalpa.
According to Captain Orellana, one of the buses returned empty from the border with Guatemala further north after dropping off migrants, while the other, smaller one, was traveling in the other direction with passengers.
According to local media, all of the victims are Hondurans and lived in the region.
Relatives quickly gathered at the scene of the accident, some bursting into tears as they identified their deceased loved ones.
According to official figures, traffic accidents are the second leading cause of death in Honduras after homicide.
Every day, hundreds of migrants from South American countries cross Honduras to reach the United States in search of better living conditions.