Tourists injured in Machu Picchu train crash

Two passenger trains collided near the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains in central Peru, injuring a number of people. On Wednesday, Peru's consumer protection agency Indecopi said it was also investigating the incident alongside police.

The incident involved a train from Inca Rail and another from PeruRail, two of the largest transport operators in the area. Images from the scene showed two train cars pressed up against each other, broken glass, and injured tourists being evacuated.

Police said that at least five of the 35 people injured were in serious condition, and that all had been taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Cuzco.

Tourist authorities said on Wednesday that service had been restored.

The nationalities of the victims have not been made public, though IncaRail said one of its injured passengers was a Chilean woman.

One witness told Peruvian broadcaster RPP News that the incident may have been connected to a protest in the area by Peruvian tourists who had been unable to board a train at an entry point reserved for local residents. 

The hilltop citadel of Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

es/jm (AP, Reuters)

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