Many killed in Peru bus accident

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At least 30 people have been killed and 20 others injured in a bus crash in northern Peru, police said.

Six children were among the dead in the Cajamarca region, police chief Marcial Gonzales Perez told local radio.

The bus, which was carrying about 50 passengers, plunged 150m (492ft) when it veered off the road after the driver lost control, Mr Perez said.

An investigation into the cause of the crash was under way as rescuers helped transport the injured to hospital.

In 2008, at least 875 people were killed and more than 5,000 injured in road accidents in Peru, according to police figures.

Correspondents say it is a tough battle to control the large number of illegal bus companies when more than half of Peruvians live below the poverty line.

Because many people would rather pay less and take a chance, it is easy for cavalier bus operators to fill their seats with little or no regard for safety.