A tragic traffic accident occurred this Sunday in Guantánamo, resulting in one death and another individual injured following the collision of a vintage car, known locally as an "almendrón," and a motorcycle in the area of San Antonio del Sur.
The incident was reported on the Facebook group 'Accidentes Buses & Camiones' by a user who posted a photo showing the severe damage to both vehicles at the scene, located at Loma de Mariana, San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo.
According to comments made by the user, Yanier Regueiferos Rosado, who is identified on his Facebook profile as an employee of the Integrated Emergency Medical System (SIUM) in the province, the collision claimed one life, while the other victim was transported to the general hospital in Guantánamo for treatment of their injuries.
Despite repeated attempts, our team was unable to obtain further details from Regueiferos Rosado as of the time of writing. The incident has not been covered by state-controlled media outlets, nor has there been any official comment from authorities.
The Central Highway of Cuba, which runs through the municipality of San Antonio del Sur, home to approximately 25,880 residents as of 2017, is close to Sabanalamar Beach and east of the Guantánamo Naval Base. The region is prone to accidents involving vintage American cars from the 1950s and motorcycles, with motorcyclists often sustaining serious injuries.
These vintage cars, with their heavy metal bodies, typically cause more significant damage to other vehicles upon impact. However, the recent crash in San Antonio del Sur showed substantial damage to the almendrón itself, indicating the severity of the accident.
Earlier in December, two electric motorcycle riders were hospitalized after colliding with an almendrón in Havana, with one motorcyclist suffering severe injuries in a separate incident in the Marianao district of Havana. Similar accidents continue to highlight the dangers faced by motorcyclists on Cuba's roads.