Canadian citizens are among the dozens of passengers injured after two trains taking tourists to and from Peru’s famous Machu Picchu archaeological site crashed head-on Tuesday, killing at least one person.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in a post on X she was “deeply saddened” to hear about the crash, and confirmed seven Canadians were hurt.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told Global News in a statement that Canadian consular officials were providing assistance and were in close contact with local authorities.
“Global Affairs Canada is aware of Canadian citizens injured in Peru,” the spokesperson said in response to questions about the train crash. “Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone affected by the accident.”
The department could not share further information due to privacy considerations.
The Associated Press and Reuters reported that the person killed was a rail worker, citing local police officers in the nearby city of Cuzco.
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According to the company operating the railway, a train coming from Machu Picchu collided with a train headed there in the early afternoon, near Qoriwayrachina, also an archeological site.
No further details about what had caused the crash were immediately available.
Videos on local media showed train cars with broken windows and dented sides stuck along a rail line hemmed in between a lush forest and a massive rock. Social media images showed injured people being treated on the sides of the tracks.
The Associated Press said about 30 passengers were injured, while Reuters put the number at more than 40, citing health officials. A health official told Reuters that about 20 people were in relatively serious condition.
Machu Picchu is Peru’s top tourist destination and sees approximately 1.5 million visitors per year, mostly arriving by train to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes.
—With files from The Associated Press and Reuters
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