At least 25 people have lost their lives and 17 others have been injured in a devastating bus accident that took place on Tuesday in Peru's Andean Ayacucho region. According to Ayacucho's regional health department, the bus skidded off the Los Libertadores highway at dawn, plunging down a steep slope of approximately 650 feet.

Jhonny Rolando Valderrama, the head of the highway protection division, informed state news agency Andina that the bus overturned after skidding off the highway. The rescue operation is still underway, taking place in the south-central Andes region.

Early reports indicate that there were a total of 42 passengers on board the ill-fated bus, as stated by a senior police officer at the scene. The bus, which belongs to the local company Turismo Molina Union SAC, is currently under investigation by the ground transportation superintendent SUTRAN.

Unfortunately, deadly bus accidents are not uncommon in Peru, particularly due to treacherous mountain roads and inadequately trained drivers. In April of this year, a bus accident in the northern Cajamarca region claimed the lives of 25 individuals when it fell into a river. Similarly, a tragic incident occurred last September in the Anco region, resulting in the loss of at least 24 lives.

The Peruvian authorities, along with transportation officials, continue their efforts to improve road safety and address the root causes of these recurring accidents.