Lima: The death toll from a bus that fell off from a steep cliff near Peru's ocean-side capital Lima on Tuesday has reached 48, AFP reported on Wednesday.
Xinhua earlier cited national news agency Andina quoting a Health Ministry official as saying that at least 36 people died and several others injured due to the mishap.
The bus was carrying some 50 passengers when it collided with an oncoming trailer truck around midday and skidded off the road about 48 kilometres north of Lima, in a location known as Pasamayo.
Officials said earlier that the trailer truck had invaded the wrong lane and was to blame for the accident.
Images of the crash site showed the wreckage of the bus landed upside down on the rocky shoreline, some 100 meters below the highway.
Rescue workers were using a helicopter to retrieve the bodies and extract the injured, who have been taken to area hospitals.
(With Agency inputs)
