Following a devastating accident on January 20 on the Morón-Isla Turiguanó highway in Ciego de Ávila province, eight individuals are still hospitalized, with two in critical condition. This tragic incident claimed the lives of seven people.
According to reports from the Doctor Antonio Luaces Iraola Provincial General Teaching Hospital and the Capitán Roberto Rodríguez Provincial General Teaching Hospital in Morón, out of 59 individuals initially hospitalized, most have been discharged, leaving only eight under medical care.
At the Morón hospital, six patients are being treated, including two women in critical condition in the intensive care unit: Dannerys Acosta López, 23, and Zulema Rodríguez González, 30, both residents of Morón. Additionally, three patients are in the neurosurgery ward for observation: Laurent Menéndez Vázquez, 42, from Ciego de Ávila; Luis E. López Infante, 31, from Ciro Redondo; and Ania Rodríguez Cuelly, 50, from Morón. Yasiel Mayea Mainet, 27, also from Ciro Redondo, is in the orthopedic ward and is expected to be discharged soon.
Meanwhile, at the provincial capital hospital, Aniuska Planché Speck, a 38-year-old resident of Ciro Redondo, remains in the orthopedic ward, under close watch due to severe thoracic trauma. Madelayne Arnabos Martínez, 37, from Isla de Turiguanó, is also under observation for a fractured right proximal humerus, as noted by Dr. Livania Lozano Lezcano.
The official report from Invasor highlights that the medical facilities have "all the necessary resources to care for the patients," confirmed by Dr. Julio Díaz Agramonte, director of the Morón hospital. Furthermore, "workers from El Mango paladar, the Café Literario project, and the El Trópico microenterprise are assisting with food provisions for patients, their families, and medical personnel in both hospitals."
In the early hours of January 20, two buses transporting workers to Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo collided on the fog-covered road linking Morón with Isla de Turiguanó. Initially, six people, including both bus drivers, were reported dead, with the death toll rising to seven the next day after a worker from the Playa Coco hotel succumbed to injuries.
The deceased included drivers Yuniester Oliva Artiles and Yohelvis Reino Veitía, both from Ciego de Ávila, as well as Ezequiel Díaz Matos from Baraguá, Daniel Trujillo Rodríguez from Morón, Yaensy Conde Vega from Ciro Redondo, Javier Hernández Zamora from Ciro Redondo, and Michel Rodríguez Hernández.
From the start, Cuban authorities have suggested human error as the cause of this catastrophic event. An official investigation has been conducted, and the police have ultimately attributed the accident to the driver of the Yutong bus, who was traveling from the provincial capital. Captain Norge Pérez Fraga, deputy chief of police investigations for the province, stated that "the driver of the offending vehicle, traveling south to north, crossed into the path of the Transmetro bus, which was heading in the opposite direction, amidst heavy fog that severely limited visibility."
Key Details About the Ciego de Ávila Accident
What were the conditions during the Ciego de Ávila accident?
The accident occurred in conditions of low visibility due to dense fog covering the area.
How many individuals were initially injured in the crash?
A total of 59 individuals were injured in the crash and were admitted to the hospitals in Morón and the provincial capital.
Who was found responsible for the accident?
The accident was attributed to the driver of the Yutong bus, who reportedly veered into the path of the oncoming Transmetro bus.