Nine dead, six injured in minivan-trailer crash in southern Peru

At least nine people died and six were injured when a passenger minivan collided with a trailer in a rural area of southern Peru. The accident happened around 2 a.m. Saturday in the Pallpata district, Espinar province, within the Apurímac, Cusco, and Arequipa regions. Police sources indicated the minivan struck the rear of the trailer. The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Rescuers found nine deceased individuals at the scene. One man and five women were transported to Espinar Hospital with injuries; two of them were later moved to Arequipa due to the severity of their conditions. The minivan's driver, identified as Raúl Huamaní Enríquez, 36, was among the deceased, along with three other women and five unidentified men. The passenger vehicle had reportedly departed from Chalhuahuacho in the Apurímac region, passing through Cusco en route to Arequipa. National Police and public prosecutors are conducting investigations at the crash site. Traffic accidents are common on Peruvian roads, often attributed to driver imprudence, poor road conditions, aging vehicles, and challenging geography. Approximately 3,000 people die annually in traffic accidents in Peru, with around 55,000 injured, according to the National Road Safety Council.