18 Dead in Bus Crash in Ecuador

At least 18 people lost their lives, and eight others were injured in a tragic collision between a bus and a car in southern Ecuador.

Officials reported on Saturday that the incident occurred on Friday in Loja Province, near the Peruvian border.

According to local media, the bus collided with an oncoming car and overturned, resulting in the devastating loss of life.

The Ecuadorian Attorney General's Office confirmed the death toll, while authorities expressed their condolences to the victims' families.

Alexandra Jaramillo, the governor of Loja Province, shared her deep solidarity with those affected by the tragic incident.

Traffic accidents remain one of the leading causes of death in Ecuador. In 2023 alone, approximately 21,000 road accidents were reported, resulting in nearly 2,400 fatalities, according to official statistics.

The trend has continued into 2024, with over 8,400 accidents recorded in the first five months of the year, claiming 848 lives.

Among the most notable recent incidents, a bus carrying 35 Indigenous passengers overturned near Quito in September, leaving nine people dead.