LIMA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people were killed and several others injured Thursday after a passenger minibus plunged into a deep ravine in northern Peru's Cajamarca department, local media reported.
The crash occurred on the road toward Chilete, near the Choten sector of San Juan district, when the vehicle, operated by the company La Veloz, veered off the road, said state broadcaster TV Peru.
Children were among those killed, private broadcaster Sol TV reported, citing Edson Roman, commander of the fire department in Banos del Inca.
Rescuers arrived shortly after the crash and began searching through the night to locate and recover victims, as the vehicle was trapped in the ravine.
The injured were taken by emergency units to the Cajamarca Regional Hospital for specialized medical treatment.
Prosecutors and forensic officials launched procedures to formally identify the bodies and determine the cause of the crash. Authorities were also investigating discrepancies between the official passenger manifest and the victims found at the scene. ■
