They were pleased to return to their communities in southern Francisco Morazán as they boarded the bus, completely unaware of the tragedy that would soon unfold.
The transport vehicle, traveling from Tegucigalpa to the municipality of San Miguelito in Francisco Morazán, was struck by a trailer carrying melons from Choluteca to Puerto Cortés.
The devastating outcome of this fatal incident resulted in 23 fatalities and 35 injuries, including four minors.
The tragedy
At 10:30 on Sunday morning, a loud explosion shattered the peace of the area. The cries of individuals pleading for assistance reached the ears of nearby residents, who promptly rushed to aid the survivors of the catastrophic accident.
“The children were crying and shouting ‘help, help!’ It was incredibly heartbreaking,” recounted Mrs. Sonia Reyes, a witness to the event.
People hurried from one side to another, extracting survivors from the bus wreckage. Many were rescued through the windows and subsequently transported to hospitals in private vehicles.
Neighbors, passersby, and emergency responders worked together to save José Eliseo Aguilar Meza (36), the driver of the blue trailer with license plates AAI 2830, who survived against the odds.
As reported by officers from the National Traffic Department (DNT), the driver was swiftly taken to the Loarque police station due to the fact that the less seriously injured individuals attempted to assault him, holding him responsible for the accident. Initially, it was indicated that the driver might face charges from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as witnesses claimed he was driving at excessive speeds and swerving on the road before ultimately colliding with the bus on a curve.
At around 10:50 a.m., the Fire Department was notified of an accident and sent multiple ambulances to kilometer 10 on the southern highway. First responders, including personnel from the Red Cross, the Contingency Committee (Copeco), the National Police, and the Military Police of Public Order (PMOP), also reached the location.
Together, these first responders managed to rescue 39 passengers, although four of them unfortunately passed away while receiving medical care at the University Hospital.
