Three Victims Identified in Massive Granma Accident

The tragic traffic accident that occurred in the early hours on the Bayamo–Las Tunas highway has claimed three lives, as confirmed by health authorities and the Communist Party in Granma. The casualties have been named as Aracelis Torres Almarales, aged 60, and Ismael Gómez de la Masa Areces, aged 51. One of them died at the scene, while the other succumbed to injuries a few hours later at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Provincial Hospital, where the injured were taken.

On Monday, the death toll rose to three with the passing of Alien Pérez Quesada, the driver of the vehicle. This information was shared on social media by Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Granma.

Details of the Tragic Event

The unfortunate incident took place around 1:35 a.m. on Sunday when a bus, rented by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNIC) of BioCubaFarma and traveling from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, lost control and collided with a fixed object. The bus was carrying dozens of passengers, several of whom sustained varying degrees of injury.

According to Dr. Adonis Frómeta Guerra, the general director of the Bayamo hospital, 27 injured individuals received medical attention, with six undergoing surgery. By Sunday afternoon, 16 patients had been discharged, primarily heading to Santiago de Cuba, while 10 remain hospitalized.

Ongoing Medical Care

Updated medical reports indicate that four patients are in critical condition, and six are being closely monitored, including a 10-year-old girl. The provincial health department in Granma has assured that all are receiving specialized care and constant supervision.

Ortiz Barceló, alongside governor Yanetsy Terry Gutiérrez, visited the accident site as soon as the scale of the disaster became apparent. She highlighted on her Facebook profile that "everyone is under the meticulous care of our health personnel."

Efforts and Investigation

MININT forces, rescuers, and medical staff worked tirelessly through challenging night conditions to assist and transport the victims to the hospital. Authorities are actively investigating the accident's causes, which have stirred concern both within and beyond the province.

This tragic event adds to a series of severe accidents in Granma this year, reigniting worries about road safety, driver training, and Cuba's road conditions.

Voices of Survivors

Yori Andino, a survivor of the crash along with her daughter and husband, shared the distressing experience on social media. She revealed that several passengers had warned the drivers about reckless driving, especially after reaching Sancti Spíritus, where speed increased despite passengers' pleas.

"It was inevitable that this would happen," wrote Andino, director of Santiago de Cuba's Dolores Concert Hall. She described the chaos following the crash, with the bus partially overturned, screams in the dark, and passengers breaking windows to escape. "We lifted the girl up, and strong hands from below helped," she recounted.

Rescuer Aris Arias Batalla was even more blunt: "The main factors are human error, negligent drivers," he commented on Facebook. He also cited poor road infrastructure, inadequate public lighting, and the outdated vehicle fleet as exacerbating factors.