LIMA, NOV 25,(V7N) -A tragic bus accident in Peru has claimed the lives of 11 people, including five 17-year-old students and a two-year-old child, after the vehicle plunged off a cliffside road in the San Martin region, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The bus, carrying 57 passengers consisting of students, teachers, and parents, collided head-on with a van on Saturday before veering off the road. The group was traveling from the town of Piura, in northern Peru, to the Amazonian department of San Martin for a class trip.

18 people were injured in the accident, and local emergency services are providing aid. The crash occurred in the Moyobamba province, a region known for its challenging terrain.

Peru has a history of frequent and often deadly bus accidents due to poor road conditions, challenging geography, and occasional lax enforcement of traffic regulations. The Ministry of Transport and Communications reported 3,138 fatalities in road accidents across the country in 2023.

Local authorities are investigating the circumstances of the collision and subsequent crash.

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