Tragic Accident on Cuba's Central Highway Leaves One Dead and Two Injured

In a tragic incident on Wednesday, a woman lost her life and two men were injured in a traffic accident approximately ten kilometers west of the city of Camagüey. The accident took place at kilometer 555 on the Central Highway, as reported by the local state-controlled media. The crash involved a tourist vehicle, a Kia Picanto, which was traveling from Havana towards the eastern part of the country.

The driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating a treacherous curve, causing it to veer off the road, smash through a barbed wire fence, and overturn on the grounds of the Jesús Suárez Gayol cooperative, as detailed by Televisión Camagüey's Facebook page. The incident occurred around midday, with witnesses suggesting that speed and the curve's conditions may have been significant factors.

The identities of the deceased and the injured have not been released. The driver and another passenger sustained various injuries and were swiftly taken to the provincial hospital Manuel Ascunce Domenech for urgent medical care. Felybequy Fernández Carpintor, a direct witness to the event, recounted to the media that he was driving along the highway when he encountered the overturned vehicle and heard cries for help from one of the survivors.

Without hesitation, Fernández, along with another nearby individual, rushed to the scene and managed to right the vehicle to free the trapped occupants. They immediately called emergency services to alert the proper authorities. Antonio Saavedra, a supervisor inspector from the Transur company, confirmed that the vehicle involved in the accident was a rented Kia Picanto, leased near José Martí International Airport in Havana. According to his statements, the car was in proper condition at the time it was rented.

The Central Highway in this section is notorious for its dangerous curves and has been the site of numerous similar accidents in the past. Local authorities are investigating the accident to determine whether factors like excessive speed, mechanical failures, or road conditions played a role. As of the time of this report, further details about the accident have not been disclosed. There is also no official confirmation on whether any of the vehicle's occupants were foreign residents.

Camagüey's Dangerous Start to the Year

In the first two weeks of the year, the province of Camagüey has seen a high number of fatal road accidents. "In just 14 days of 2025, four fatal traffic accidents have occurred in Camagüey. It's horrific!" remarked a social media user, referring to this and three other recent accidents in the province.

One tragic incident occurred on the morning of January 2nd on the road connecting Camagüey with Santa Cruz del Sur, when a passenger truck overturned on a bridge known as El Francés. This accident resulted in one death and 63 injuries, including 13 minors. The crash happened when the truck's driver lost control of the vehicle.

Just over a week later, on the night of January 10th, another tragic accident on the road to the town of Florida resulted in two fatalities and more than 50 injuries following a collision between two buses. Among the deceased was the driver of one of the buses, who died at the scene, while the second victim passed away after being taken to the Hospital Universitario Manuel Ascunce Domenech.

Lastly, an accident on January 12th in the Monte Carlos neighborhood of Camagüey left three teenage girls injured after a collision between a motorbike and a horse-drawn cart. The young women, approximately 15 years old, were riding the motorbike at the time of the crash.