Train Collision Causes Chaos and Multiple Injuries Near Machu Picchu
Collision Between Two Trains
A passenger described the "chaos" following the head-on collision of two trains near Peru's most popular tourist attraction, Machu Picchu. Thirty-three-year-old Niels Honkoop told the BBC that he had changed his seat from the middle of the carriage to the back just before the accident, which injured many people located at the front of the train.
"I saw people running, crying, and others lying on the floor, and the chaos erupted," he recounted. "I got off the train and saw individuals bleeding with very serious injuries." One train driver was killed, and at least 40 people were injured in the accident, which occurred around 1:20 PM local time (6:20 PM GMT) on Tuesday.
Mr. Honkoop noted that the table in front of him broke in two. Shattered glass was scattered across the floor of the carriage, and many passengers were fallen and injured in the aisle. One woman he observed was trapped "between a bench and a table." He attempted to help by moving luggage and offering painkillers, noting that he had coincidentally "recently had a wisdom tooth removed, so I had plenty of painkillers on hand."
The UK Foreign Office stated that it was "supporting a number of British citizens involved" in the accident while the US embassy in Peru confirmed that American citizens were injured. Following the accident, another train arrived with medical assistance, and he and his group of tourists were taken to a nearby village, where they received food and medical care before being transported to a hotel.
The collision occurred on the railway connecting Ollantaytambo station to Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu. The journey between the two stations usually takes about 90 minutes. The two trains involved were operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail.
“We deeply regret what happened,” PeruRail stated in a release, adding that its staff provided "immediate" first aid to the driver, conductor, and passengers involved in the incident. The cause of the accident has not yet been clarified. This incident comes amid an ongoing dispute between transport providers to this UNESCO World Heritage site, with local communities expressing dissatisfaction over what they see as an insufficiently open bidding process. The trains and buses transporting tourists to the ancient city have high ticket prices, allowing operators to earn substantial profits due to limited accessibility.
Built in the Peruvian Andes in the 15th century, the Incan city of Machu Picchu is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Visitors can take a range of trains and buses to reach the site or hike along the Inca Trail with a registered tour operator. In 2011, officials implemented a daily visitor cap to protect and conserve the site, but concerns about over-tourism persist.
