Seven Dead in Minivan and Truck Collision on Peru's Panamericana Norte

A severe collision between a passenger minivan and a truck trailer on the Panamericana Norte highway in Peru's Lima region has claimed seven lives and left eight others injured. The accident happened Friday night near Barranca, approximately 180 kilometers north of the capital.

The state agency Andina reported that the crash occurred in the Supe district. The minivan was traveling between Huacho and Barranca with 20 passengers, while the truck was carrying 20 tons of ammonium nitrate. The impact was so forceful that the minivan split in two, complicating rescue efforts, according to Óscar Paredes, commander of the Barranca Fire Department.

Emergency responders had to implement careful protocols due to the spilled ammonium nitrate, isolating the area amid fears of chemical reactions. The bodies of the deceased, including the minivan's driver, were transported to the Barranca central morgue. Among those who succumbed to their injuries was Galileo Galilei Mendoza, a judge from the Huara court, who died in the hospital on Saturday from severe trauma.

Peruvian authorities from the Supe and Barranca traffic police divisions are investigating the incident to determine whether human error or a mechanical failure caused the tragic crash.

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The impact was so forceful that the minivan split in two, which complicated the rescue tasks for the victims.