Lorena Isabel Hernández Bassa, a 34-year-old native of Guantánamo, has tragically passed away due to a massive bus accident that took place on Sunday on Cuba's National Highway. Her death marks the first fatality from this incident, which resulted in 48 injuries in Cienfuegos.
The loss was confirmed by Dr. Ling Denise Santeiro, the director of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima General University Hospital. She informed journalist Mayelin del Sol about the young woman's passing. Hernández Bassa was traveling on the Yutong bus operating the La Habana-Guantánamo route when it crashed between kilometers 172 and 176 at the Puente de las Cajas section in Aguada de Pasajeros.
This sad news contradicts an earlier report on Sunday, where the hospital director had stated, "Fortunately, there are no fatalities to report."
Following Hernández Bassa's death, health officials updated the condition of others involved in the accident: three patients remain in serious condition and one is in critical condition, though all are stable.
Dr. Ian González Ramos reported that the injured minors are showing positive recovery signs. The two children assessed in Villa Clara have no complications and continue receiving care at the Paquito González Cueto Children's Hospital in Cienfuegos.
One young girl is still in intensive care due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage, but her clinical condition is stable, according to Dr. Ramos.
Recurring Tragedies on a Hazardous Highway
The accident occurred early Sunday morning at approximately 2:40 a.m., on one of the most perilous stretches of Cuban roads.
This same route witnessed another Yutong bus accident on November 7, 2025, at kilometer 183, resulting in two deaths and 18 injuries. Weeks later, on December 22, 2025, yet another collision at kilometer 188 claimed the lives of two bus drivers and injured at least 13 people, including two children.
In January 2025, a similar tragedy near Aguada de Pasajeros left several dead and many injured at kilometer 209 of the same highway.
All these incidents occurred at night or early morning and involved interprovincial buses on routes between Havana and eastern Cuba.
This pattern is part of a nationwide road safety crisis: in 2025, Cuba recorded 750 traffic fatalities, compared to 634 in 2024, according to data from the National Road Safety Commission released in February.
Understanding Cuba's Road Safety Crisis
What caused the bus accident in Cienfuegos?
The accident occurred when the Yutong bus, traveling between La Habana and Guantánamo, crashed on a dangerous section of the National Highway known as Puente de las Cajas in Aguada de Pasajeros.
How many people were injured in the Cienfuegos bus accident?
The accident resulted in 48 injuries, with several individuals in serious and critical condition.
What is the current state of the injured minors?
The injured minors are showing positive recovery signs, with no complications reported for those assessed in Villa Clara.