16 killed as Peru bus plunges into river

Lima - At least 16 people were killed Monday when a bus in Peru plunged off a curvy mountain road into a river, police said.

The bus was taking passengers to the central city of Pichanaki when the driver lost control and ran off the road, falling 35 meters (115 feet) into the Tarma river, said Jose Mendoza, police spokesman for the region of Junin.

The accident totaled the bus and left another 10 people injured.

Initial investigations indicate the driver was speeding and lost control on a curve, Mendoza said.

Fatal road accidents are common in Peru, in part because of lax traffic enforcement but also because of the Andean country's challenging mountain terrain.