Two Dutch killed, 13 others hurt in Ecuador bus crash

Two Dutch people were killed, and 13 people were hurt in a bus accident near Tena, Ecuador on Sunday evening. Two of the injured people were reportedly in critical condition.

Two buses collided with each other on the road between Tena and Baeza, in Napo province, AFP reported. The bus carrying the Dutch tourists suffered the most damage. The deceased are a 74-year-old woman from Haarlem and a 73-year-old man from Hilversum. Their deaths were confirmed by a spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs a day later.

A total of 21 Dutch people on the bus taking part in a group trip, 12 of whom were injured and taken to a hospital. An Ecuadorian is also said to have been injured. Two of the injured are in critical condition, the director of the hospital in the city of Tena said. According to the AFP news agency, the injured people were between 41 and 75 years old.

The ministry announced that it will provide consular assistance to the victims and their families in the Netherlands. They also have had contact with the local authorities and the Eurocross emergency center, which is coordinating practical assistance from the Netherlands. Eurocross has opened a special telephone number for those involved, which can be reached on +31 (0)71 364 18 41.

Road accidents are one of the leading causes of death in Ecuador. Since the beginning of this year, nearly 1,500 people have been killed in traffic accidents there. In July, a bus overturned in a suburb of the capital Quito, killing eight people and injuring 20.