La Paz, Bolivia—Five people died and more than twenty others sustained serious injuries early Friday morning when a long-distance passenger omnibus overturned on the winding mountain highway connecting La Paz to the tourist town of Copacabana.
The vehicle, operated by a regional transport cooperative, veered off the asphalt on a notoriously sharp curve known locally as Apacheta.
Heavy fog blanketed the high-altitude pass at the time of the incident, severely limiting visibility for commercial drivers navigating the unlit stretch of road.
Emergency responders from local volunteer fire brigades and rural health posts arrived at the ravine hours later due to the remote terrain and communication bottlenecks.
Survivors pulled themselves from the shattered windows of the overturned chassis while waiting for ambulances dispatched from nearby municipal hubs.
Initial police reports indicate that excessive speed for the adverse weather conditions likely triggered the loss of control before the bus plunged down the rocky embankment.
Transport ministry officials have faced mounting criticism from local communities regarding the lack of guardrails and inadequate signage along the Lake Titicaca transit corridor.
Investigators spent the afternoon seizing mechanical logbooks and interviewing surviving passengers at regional triage centers to determine if brake failure contributed to the disaster.
The driver survived the crash with moderate injuries and remains in police custody pending a formal preliminary hearing at the provincial magistrates court.
Tow crews continue working to hoist the wreckage from the ravine as highway patrol officers enforce temporary lane closures across the heavily traveled route.
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