In a tragic incident on Friday night in Camagüey, Cuban officials have identified two individuals who lost their lives in a major accident involving two Yutong buses. The deceased are Julio Idóneo Torres Reyes, 56, from Havana, who was the driver of one of the buses and died at the scene, and Georgina Barrero Gutiérrez, 49, from Pilón, Granma.
According to a report by Radio Cadena Agramonte on Facebook, a total of 53 adults and two children were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the crash. The adults are being treated at the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Clinical-Surgical Hospital. As stated by Rodolfo Emilio Domínguez Rosabal, four patients are in critical condition, with their lives at risk—two in intensive care, one in the polytrauma unit, and one unidentified woman in emergency intensive care. Additionally, another patient is in serious condition in the polytrauma service, while the rest are under observation for potential discharge or further evaluation.
On the pediatric side, Andrei Rodríguez Navarro, director of the Eduardo Agramonte Piña Pediatric Hospital, announced that five out of the seven children treated have been discharged. Two remain in intermediate care, but their lives are not in danger. There is also a young girl staying at the hospital because her mother is admitted at another provincial facility, awaiting a relative to pick her up.
The fatal collision took place on the road towards Florida municipality, past 7:00 pm, when the two Yutong buses crashed on Camagüey's Western Bypass, near the embarkation point for the road heading west. One of the buses, a Transmetro under a leasing system, was traveling from Songo La Maya, Santiago de Cuba, while the other was transporting workers from a Military Construction Unit.
A source close to the scene informed independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada that the accident was likely caused by one driver unfamiliar with the area, who ignored a stop sign while attempting to merge onto the Central Highway. "This place is very dark, like all points of the city's bypass," the source noted.
Given the severity of the incident, health authorities in the province have called for community support. Carlos Morán Giraldo, the general director of health in the territory, announced that blood donations are welcomed starting 7:00 am on Saturday at the Provincial Blood Bank.
Key Information About the Camagüey Bus Accident
Who were the victims of the Camagüey bus collision?
The identified victims are Julio Idóneo Torres Reyes, 56, from Havana, and Georgina Barrero Gutiérrez, 49, from Pilón, Granma.
How many people were injured in the accident?
A total of 53 adults and two children were hospitalized due to injuries from the crash.
What caused the bus accident in Camagüey?
The accident was reportedly caused by one driver unfamiliar with the area, who failed to heed a stop sign while merging onto the Central Highway.
What measures are being taken following the accident?
Health authorities have appealed for blood donations to support the injured, with donations starting at 7:00 am at the Provincial Blood Bank.