A head-on train collision near Peru's Machu Picchu has killed a train driver and injured at least 40 people, including British and American tourists. The crash occurred around 1:20 pm local time on Tuesday on the railway line connecting Ollantaytambo Station to Aguas Calientes, the closest town to the ancient Inca citadel.
Roberto Cárdenas, a train driver, died in the collision between two trains operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail. Emergency services rushed to the scene around 6:20 pm GMT, but rescue efforts have been complicated by the difficult terrain surrounding the popular tourist attraction.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed it was «supporting a number of British nationals involved» in the crash and remains in contact with local authorities. The US embassy in Peru also stated that American citizens were among the injured.
Eyewitness describes chaos
Passenger Niels Honkoop, 33, described the immediate aftermath to the BBC: «I saw staff running around and people crying and people on the floor and chaos erupted.» He said: «We got off the train and I saw people bleeding with very severe injuries.»
Honkoop helped treat injured passengers with painkillers he was carrying after a recent wisdom tooth removal. Another train arrived later with medical assistance, transporting his tour group to a nearby village for food, medical care and accommodation.
Operators respond to incident
PeruRail issued a statement saying «We deeply regret what has happened,» noting its staff «immediately» provided first aid to those involved. Inca Rail dispatched personnel to the scene to undertake «the necessary actions and evacuate passengers in an orderly and safe manner.»
Peruvian officials have temporarily suspended local railway operations to secure the crash site. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
Governor criticizes medical response
Cusco governor Werner Salcedo sharply criticized the handling of injured passengers. «We are concerned about how the injured have been transferred according to the convenience of the clinics. The ministries are responsible for this,» he said.
Salcedo added: «I hold the private clinics responsible if the injured suffer further complications because they have prioritized their business over providing genuine care for the lives of our visitors.»
Context: Transport dispute at heritage site
The collision occurred amid an ongoing dispute over transport providers to Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World and a Unesco world heritage site. Local communities have expressed dissatisfaction with what they describe as an insufficiently open bidding process for transport services to the 15th-century Inca site.
Trains and buses serving Machu Picchu have steep ticket prices and are highly lucrative for operators due to the site's limited accessibility. Officials implemented a daily cap on visitors in 2011 due to concerns about over-tourism.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
