Two trains carrying tourists to the famous archaeological site of Machu Picchu collided on Tuesday. At least one person was killed in the accident and at least forty others were injured, Reuters news agency reports.
The victim was a railway employee, the chief of police in Cuzco said. Train traffic on the railway line that connects the tourist attraction with the nearby city of Cusco was halted after the accident.
According to the railway company that operates the route, a train coming from Machu Picchu collided with a train heading there. No further details are yet known about the cause of the collision. Images from local media show train carriages with broken windows and dented sides.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu receives approximately 1.5 million visitors annually, who usually arrive by train in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu is also accessible on foot: visitors can trek from the small town of Ollantaytambo. The journey takes about four days. The archaeological site was built by the Incas in the 15th century as a shrine for the emperors of the empire.
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