Two people remain in critical condition after a mass accident in Villa Clara

Two of the individuals injured in the collision of two buses in the municipality of Ranchuelo, in Villa Clara, on Monday, remain “in critical condition, with life-threatening risks, but stable,” confirmed the Provincial Health Directorate.

Health authorities updated the clinical condition of the patients involved in this morning's head-on collision of two buses on a road in the town of Esperanza, when one of the vehicles allegedly attempted to overtake a horse-drawn cart.

The massive accident left 49 people injured, including nine children.

Dr. Yandry Alfonso Chang, director of Medical Assistance and Medications for the Health Directorate in Villa Clara, informed the local press that all the injured received medical attention and five of them underwent surgical procedures, including a 16-year-old girl.

Of the two patients in critical condition, one underwent surgery for a chest trauma; meanwhile, one person is reported to be in serious condition due to a traumatic brain injury.

The eight children hospitalized in the pediatric ward are showing stable progress and will remain under observation for 24 hours.

Dr. Chang also announced that 21 adult patients could be discharged in the coming hours due to their "favorable progress."

In a preliminary report on the victims, health authorities in the province had reported two individuals in critical condition and two in serious condition, while the others had multiple contusions and minor injuries, although they were under medical observation as a precautionary measure.

The mass accident occurred at kilometer 288 of the Central Highway in Esperanza and involved a Yutong bus (license plate 121284), a Diana minibus (license plate 027011), and an animal-drawn cart that was on the road, as specified hours after the incident by Lieutenant Colonel Heriberto López, head of the Provincial Transit Unit.

According to the initial investigations, the Yutong bus was on its way to pick up workers from Farmacuba in Esperanza when it collided with the Diana, which belonged to the Ranchuelo base and was covering the San Juan–Santa Clara route.

The presence of the cart on the road may have influenced the accident, although the exact causes are still being investigated by experts from the Ministry of the Interior (Minint).

Following the collision, emergency teams, health personnel, and police officers arrived at the scene to assist the victims and gather evidence to clarify the causes.

The 40 injured adults were transferred to the "Arnaldo Milián Castro" Provincial Clinical Surgical Hospital, and the nine minors were admitted to the "José Luis Miranda" Pediatric Hospital, both located in Santa Clara.

So far, no fatalities have been reported, although the severity of some patients is putting pressure on the local healthcare system.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Mass Accident in Villa Clara