At Least 14 Dead As Minibus Falls Into Ravine In Peru

At least 14 people died and five others were injured on Thursday when a van plunged off a roadway in northern Peru, authorities told AFP. 

"We have reports of 14 people dead and five injured after a minibus fell into a ravine," said Ricardo Chilon, head of institutional communications for the San Juan municipality, located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of Lima in the Cajamarca region.

Police and fire crews arrived at the scene of the accident, outside San Juan, to recover the victims' bodies, including those of the driver and a child, Chilon said.

The vehicle was carrying 19 people from the San Juan district to Ciudad de Dios. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Fire Department official Edson Roman told reporters that six bodies had yet to be recovered. 

"The rescue operation is very difficult for us. The vehicle is wedged in a ravine," Roman said from the crash site.

Road accidents are common in Peru because of poor road conditions, a lack of police enforcement and human error, primarily involving speeding.

More than 3,000 people were killed on Peru's roads last year, according to official figures.

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