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Passenger describes scene of 'chaos' after crash
A Dutch tourist recounted the moment two trains collided near Peru's iconic Machu Picchu, leaving one driver dead and at least 40 injured. Niels Honkoop, 33, told the BBC he had moved to the rear of the train shortly before the impact, sparing him from the worst of the damage.
"I saw staff running, people crying, and passengers lying on the floor," Honkoop said. "We stepped off the train to find people bleeding with severe injuries." He described shattered glass covering the carriage floor and a woman trapped between a bench and a table.
Using painkillers from a recent dental procedure, Honkoop helped distribute medication and clear luggage to assist responders.
Casualties and response
The collision occurred at 1:20 p.m. local time (6:20 p.m. GMT) Tuesday on the route between Ollantaytambo Station and Aguas Calientes, the gateway town to Machu Picchu. The journey typically takes 90 minutes.
PeruRail, one of the operators involved, confirmed the death of a train driver and said its staff provided immediate first aid to passengers and crew. The company expressed "deep regret" over the incident in a statement.
Governments responded swiftly: the UK Foreign Office said it was assisting British nationals, while the U.S. Embassy in Peru reported injuries among American citizens.
Aftermath and evacuation
Honkoop said a second train arrived with medical teams, and his tour group was taken to a nearby village for food, care, and later transported to a hotel.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The two trains were operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail, respectively.
Broader tensions over Machu Picchu access
The accident occurs amid ongoing disputes over transport services to the UNESCO World Heritage site. Local communities have criticized the bidding process for routes as insufficiently transparent.
With limited access to Machu Picchu, train and bus tickets command high prices, making the routes highly profitable for operators. The ancient Incan city, built in the 15th century, attracts visitors via rail, bus, or multi-day hikes along the Inca Trail.
While a 2011 visitor cap was introduced to protect the site, concerns about over-tourism persist.
