At least 19 killed in Argentine bus crash

By Maria Paz Salas

SANTIAGO, Chile 

At least 19 people were killed Saturday and 20 others injured when a bus with 40 people aboard overturned while traveling from the Argentinian province of Mendoza to Chile.

The bus owned by the Chilean company, Tur-Bus, left shortly before the crash occurred just past midnight near Los Horcones, a few miles (kilometers) from the Libertadores border crossing.

Witnesses told the local Clarin newspaper the bus took a curve at high speed and skidded.

“It came very fast before dribbling — it skidded twice. It took a corner at high speed,” survivor Eduardo Lopez told the newspaper.

The province’s assistant health secretary, Oscar Sagas, said 16 victims died at the scene and three others succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital.

“This is a very complicated curve because it has an elevation and it goes low, that’s where the bus lost control and went off the road,” said Sagas to Channel 7 of Mendoza.

Two Chilean drivers aboard the bus survived the accident and were arrested.

Onboard were four Chileans, one Haitian, one Colombian and 32 Argentines, and the drivers, the company said in a statement.

Three Argentinian minors suffered injuries and one is in a serious condition, according to officials.

Tur-Bus said the vehicle was in good condition and the crew was well rested. It announced it would conduct an investigation.