Nine killed in Peru bus accident

Lima: At least nine people died and many were injured Monday when a bus plunged into a ravine in central Peru`s Ancash region, police in Sihuas province said.
Four of the fatalities have been identified, while an undetermined number of injured were taken to the hospital in Sihuas.

The accident occurred on the highway connecting Sihuas with the town of Huacrachuco, a rural area that lacks telephone communications, a police officer said, adding that the causes of the crash are under investigation.

Media outlets said that 29 people were injured and that the bus belongs to the San Francisco company.

Highway accidents are common in Peru due to the poor state of the roads, the mountainous terrain and reckless drivers.