At least 11 killed, 22 injured after passenger bus plunges off bridge in Ecuador

At least 11 people were killed when a passenger bus went off a bridge and caught fire on a highway in southern Ecuador, according to firefighters. At least 22 others were injured.

The crash happened on Wednesday on the Cuenca-Molleturo road near El Chorro Bridge, west of the city of Cuenca in Ecuador’s Azuay province. Cuenca firefighters said the bus, which had apparently departed at about 11 a.m., went down into the lower area near the bridge and river before becoming engulfed in flames.

At least 11 people are believed to have died, though officials said that more victims could be found. The victims were found both inside and outside the passenger bus.

At least 22 other people were assessed at the scene in a triage operation, and firefighters said several patients are in serious condition.

The Cuenca Fire Department said ambulances from both the fire service and Ecuador’s health ministry were sent to the scene. Officials said they also had to ask private vehicles for help moving victims because there were not enough ambulances.