A train driver has been killed and at least 40 people injured after two trains collided head-on near Machu Picchu, Peru’s most visited tourist attraction.
The crash occurred on Tuesday along the single-track railway connecting Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, the town closest to the ancient Inca site, local authorities said. Emergency services dispatched around 20 ambulances, and the injured were taken to hospitals in the nearby city of Cusco.
Peru’s health officials said at least 20 of those hurt were in serious condition. The US embassy in Peru confirmed that American citizens were among the injured, though police have not yet released the identities of those involved.
Local media reported that hundreds of tourists remained stranded at the scene awaiting evacuation, which has been slowed by the difficult mountainous terrain surrounding the crash site.
The two trains involved were operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail. PeruRail said it deeply regretted the incident and that its staff provided immediate first aid to the driver, conductor and passengers following the collision.
The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
The incident comes amid an ongoing dispute over transport services to Machu Picchu, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Local communities have raised concerns about the bidding process for transport operators, as access to the site is limited and ticket prices are high.
Machu Picchu, built in the Peruvian Andes in the 15th century, is one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. Authorities introduced a daily visitor cap in 2011 to protect the site, though concerns about overtourism persist.
