Listen to this article
Estimated 2 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Canadians are among the injured after two trains collided head-on in Peru on Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada confirmed.
The collision took place on the railway leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A train driver was killed, and 40 more people were injured, in the collision between trains operated by Inca Rail S.A. and PeruRail S.A., which mainly deliver tourists to the historic site.
A health official told Reuters that about 20 people were in relatively serious condition.
Foreign tourists, including Canadians, are among the injured.
An injured person lies on a stretcher following Tuesday’s collision on the railway to Machu Picchu. The photo was obtained on social media and verified by Reuters. (Reuters)
“Global Affairs Canada is aware of Canadian citizens injured in Peru. Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone affected by the accident,” Global Affairs said in an email to CBC News.
“Canadian officials are providing consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities. Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed.”
Police are now investigating the collision.
Images posted on social media shortly after the crash showed the badly damaged locomotives facing each other on the track, broken glass strewn around and injured people being treated on the sides of the tracks.
Machu Picchu, located in the Peruvian Andes, is the country’s most popular destination for travellers, drawing more than one million tourists from around the world each year.
