A devastating road accident claimed the lives of at least 15 people early Saturday, December 27, 2025, after a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in western Guatemala. The crash occurred on a treacherous section of the Inter-American Highway, a major transit route frequently plagued by dangerous weather conditions.
The Incident: A Fatal Descent
The accident took place between kilometers 172 and 174 in the Sololá Department. The bus, carrying dozens of passengers, veered off the road and descended into a steep gorge, leaving the vehicle a mangled wreck.
Casualties: Firefighting spokesperson Leandro Amado confirmed the death toll, noting that the victims included 11 men, three women, and one minor.
Injuries: At least 19 people sustained varying degrees of injuries. Rescuers worked for hours in difficult terrain to extract survivors and transport them to nearby hospitals in the Sololá and Totonicapán regions.
The Site: The area, known as “Cumbre de Alaska,” is the highest point on the Inter-American Highway in Guatemala. It is notorious among drivers for extreme fog and sudden drops in visibility, which authorities believe played a primary role in the tragedy.
Rescue Operations & Investigation
Images shared by the Volunteer Firefighters (Bomberos Voluntarios) showed a massive mobilization of emergency personnel.
- Challenges: Rescuers faced slippery slopes and thick mist as they used ropes and stretchers to pull victims from the gorge.
- Investigation: The Public Ministry has launched an inquiry to determine if mechanical failure or speeding contributed to the crash, alongside the environmental conditions.
“Our teams worked through the early hours to ensure every passenger was accounted for. The fog was so thick that visibility was reduced to just a few meters at the time of the recovery,” a local firefighter official stated.
A Year of Road Tragedies
This incident marks the second major bus disaster in Guatemala in 2025. Earlier this year, on February 10, a bus plunged from the Puente Belice bridge in Guatemala City, killing over 50 people. These recurring tragedies have prompted renewed calls from civil society for stricter vehicle inspections and safety improvements on the Inter-American Highway.