12 killed as tour bus plunges into Chilean ravine

A bus carrying tourists from a cruise ship plunged more than 100 yards into a mountain ravine in northern Chile, killing 12 Americans and seriously injuring two others.

The Chilean bus driver and a guide were also injured in yesterday’s accident along a rugged highway near the Pacific port city of Arica, 1,250 miles north of Santiago.

The identities of the victims were not immediately released.

The tourists were returning to their Bahamas-registered Millennium cruise ship after visiting the nearby Lauca National Park when the driver lost control of the vehicle trying to avoid an oncoming truck that had just rounded a curve, said Juan Pablo Poli, a spokesman for the city of Arica.

Poli said two Americans were in a serious condition at a local hospital. A third injured American later died, raising the death toll to 12.

“We have confirmed that all the victims were American citizens,” he said. “Autopsies will be conducted during the night so the bodies can be sent home as soon as possible, probably by air from Santiago.”

He said the bus had a capacity of 16 passengers and “was totally destroyed as it fell more than 100 yards”.

The accident took place 26 miles north-east of Arica on the road leading deep into the high Andes mountains, connecting the coast with the Bolivian capital of La Paz.

US Embassy spokesman John Vance said the embassy was sending consular officers to Arica.

The ship was due to leave for Peru early on Monday, but the departure was postponed following the accident, police said.

The Millennium cruise ship is operated by Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises said the tourists were sailing aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium, but it was an independent private tour, not affiliated with the cruise line.

The ship was sailing a 14-night South American cruise that departed Valparaiso, Chile, on March 19 and was scheduled to conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 2.

The statement said Celebrity Cruises would post information on the incident on its website at www.celebrity.com.