36 dead in Peruvian bus crash

Lima Jan 3 (IANS) The death toll from a bus that fell off from a steep cliff near Peru s ocean-side capital Lima on Tuesday has reached 36 local media reported.

"So far the accident ... has left 36 people dead and seven injured the Health Ministry confirmed " Xinhua cited national news agency Andina as saying.

The bus was carrying some 50 passengers when it collided into an oncoming trailer truck around midday and skidded off the road about 48 kilometres north of Lima in a location known as Pasamayo.

Officials said earlier that the trailer truck had invaded the wrong lane and was to blame for the accident.

Images of the crash site showed the wreckage of the bus landed upside down on rocky shoreline some 100 meters below the highway.

Rescue workers were using a helicopter to retrieve the bodies and extract the injured who have been taken to area hospitals.

--IANS
sku/