At least 15 people were killed and 19 others injured when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine on the Inter-American Highway in western Guatemala on Saturday, December 27, 2025, according to local authorities.
The victims included 11 men, three women and one minor, confirmed Leandro Amado, a spokesperson for local firefighters. “The bus was traveling from Guatemala City to San Marcos when it veered off the route,” Amado said. The bus fell 75 metres into the ravine on a route to San Marcos, a department on the border with Mexico.
The crash occurred in the Solola Department between kilometres 172 and 174 of the highway, in an area known as Alaska Peak. The region is known for its rugged terrain.
Dense fog in the area reduced visibility for drivers taking the route, creating dangerous conditions for motorists.
Firefighters worked to rescue the injured passengers from the wreckage, with the injured transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Images shared by the fire department on social media showed the extent of the destruction, with the wrecked bus lying deep in the ravine as emergency personnel conducted their rescue operations.
Relatives of the passengers arrived at the scene of the accident searching for their loved ones.
President Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning following the devastating crash. “We express our condolences to the families of the victims,” the president said, acknowledging the profound loss suffered by communities across Guatemala.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, with authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the bus leaving the highway.
The Inter-American Highway serves as a critical transportation artery in Guatemala, connecting the capital with remote regions and facilitating trade with neighboring countries.
This tragedy follows a pattern of deadly bus accidents in Guatemala throughout 2025. Earlier in the year, more than 50 people died in another major bus crash when the vehicle plunged into a ravine outside Guatemala City.
In a separate incident, 21 people were killed when a bus collided with a truck near Guatemala’s Atlantic coast.