Officials work at the site where a bus fell off a 20-meter ditch near the town of Cinchona in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica, on Oct. 20, 2016. At least 12 people were killed and 18 others injured in Costa Rica on Thursday when a bus carrying 30 tourists fell off a 20-meter ditch. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis declared three days of national mourning on Oct. 20-22, during which the national flag would be flown at half mast. (Xinhua/Kent Gilbert)
SAN JOSE, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were killed and 15 others injured in Costa Rica on Thursday when a bus carrying 30 tourists fell off a 20-meter ditch.
Hector Chaves, director of Costa Rica's firefighters, told local media that the accident took place near the town of Cinchona in the province of Alajuela at around 9:00 a.m. local time.
Five men and seven women were killed, including the driver, according to daily newspaper Nacion.
A number of the passengers were retired staff from the National University, the University of Costa Rica and the National Technological University on a day trip, the report added.
Survivors told rescuers that a mechanical failure on the bus destabilized it. The driver allegedly drove into the opposing lane as he tried to regain control, but hit the barricade on the side of the road, sending the bus into the ditch.
On Twitter, President Luis Guillermo Solis wrote that "I express my most profound pain for the tragic accident which happened in Cinchona."
He declared three days of national mourning on Oct. 20-22, during which the national flag would be flown at half mast.
