By Luis de Jesus
Dec 24, 2023, 11:30 PM EST
A serious traffic accident engulfs Nicaragua on Christmas Eve due to the death of 19 people and at least 26 injuries.
The incident, recorded on December 23, was caused by a bus with 70 passengers that lost control and crashed into a fence on the Mancera Bridge, located in the municipality of Matagalpa, about 130 kilometers north of Managua.
Rosario Murillo, vice president of the country, confirmed the news to the official Channel 4 local television outlet, according to information published by the EFE news agency.
“But we can confirm that more than 16 brothers are dead and that there are more than 26 injured and some very seriously injured,” said Murillo.
However, local media such as 100% News They confirm that 19 people died, according to data published by the Ministry of Health of Matagalpa.
The news portal claims that the accident recorded the death of eight boys and girls, with the youngest fatalities in the tragedy being under 4 years old.
#LastMinute🚨
This morning a spectacular accident was recorded in the Mancera community between the municipalities of Waslala and Rancho Grande. A bus that covers the Matagalpa-Waslala Route overturned.So far there have been 14 deaths and 11 injuries, several seriously.
➡️More… pic.twitter.com/94mT0O8plm
— Channel 2 (@Canal2Nicaragua) December 23, 2023
The list also reports two dead teenagers and nine adults who are not over 50 years old.
What happened to the bus involved in the accident in Nicaragua?
Murillo explained that there are several hypotheses about what happened: “According to the information, we all know that in circumstances like these there are different versions. The bus, after losing direction, overturned on the Mancera bridge in Rancho Grande. Some say he was going at high speed. “We can neither confirm nor deny that.”
Daniel Ortega’s wife also indicated: “Of the injured there are men, women, children of all ages and some still unidentified were taken to different health centers, some very serious. For example, there is an 11-year-old boy who is going to have to be amputated, an unknown 10-year-old boy who had to be transferred with severe facial trauma to Matagalpa. There are several with incomplete basic data.”
Murilló added: “Here we have a tragedy that perhaps could have been avoided. We do not know”.
Allied governments sent messages of condolence
Several solidarity statements were published this weekend to regret what happened in Nicaragua.
The Cuban regime, for example, sent its condolences to the families of the victims through a message signed by the island’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez.
The official conveyed “deep condolences to the Nicaraguan people and Government for the loss of human life” caused by the accident.
For his part, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro expressed “his deepest regret” to his Nicaraguan counterpart and to the “brave people” of that Central American country in the face of this “unfortunate accident.”
The text also says that Venezuela “extends its warm embrace and support to the families of the victims and offers prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured resulting from this incident.”
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