蜜桃交友

By Devin Watkins

Pope Francis on Thursday sent his condolences for the victims of a deadly bus crash along a coastal road in Peru.

The Holy Father said he is 鈥渄eeply saddened at the tragic news of the road traffic accident which occurred in Pasamayo鈥�.

He also offered 鈥減rayers for the eternal repose of the souls of the deceased鈥�.

His words of comfort came in the telegramme signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and sent through the Apostolic Nunciature in Peru.
 

Devil鈥檚 Bend

A coach carrying 55 passengers, plus the driver and his assistant, plunged off a 100-meter high cliff on Tuesday along a stretch of road known as the 鈥淐urva del Diablo鈥�, or Devil鈥檚 Bend.

The coach landed on a rocky, isolated stretch of beach north of Lima with no road access.

Peruvian police said preliminary investigations showed a lorry was also involved in the accident.

Peru鈥檚 Minister of Transport, Bruno Giuffa, tweeted that both vehicles had been travelling at excessive speeds, according to initial reports.

Police say one of the two vehicles had veered into the path of the other. The lorry鈥檚 driver survived the crash and has been detained.

As of Thursday, 51 people are known to have died in the accident.
 

鈥楶ainful loss鈥�

In the telegramme, Pope Francis sent his 鈥渃onsolation to the relatives who mourn such a painful loss, as well as [his] spiritual closeness to the wounded鈥�.

The Pope also asked our Lord 鈥渢o pour upon them all the gifts of spiritual serenity and Christian hope鈥� and imparted his 鈥渉eartfelt鈥� Apostolic Blessing.
 

Slippery and dangerous road

The Serpentín Pasamayo, where the crash occurred, runs along the Pacific Ocean and is considered one of the most dangerous in Peru.

It lacks barriers separating it from a sheer drop to the ocean, and sea spray and fog often make it particularly slick.

Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said on Wednesday he had given orders to widen an alternative route, so as to close the Serpentín Pasamayo.

Coaches in the meantime are to be barred from using the road.
 

Pope Francis is scheduled to make an Apostolic Journey to Peru on 18-22 January.

Please find below the official English translation of the telegramme:

THE HOLY FATHER, DEEPLY SADDENED AT THE TRAGIC NEWS OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED IN PASAMAYO, CLAIMING MANY VICTIMS, OFFERS PRAYERS FOR THE ETERNAL REPOSE OF THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED.

I ASK YOUR EXCELLENCY TO CONVEY HIS HOLINESS鈥� CONDOLENCES, ALONG WITH EXPRESSIONS OF CONSOLATION TO THE RELATIVES WHO MOURN SUCH A PAINFUL LOSS, AS WELL AS THEIR SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS TO THE WOUNDED, WHILE ASKING THE LORD TO POUR UPON THEM ALL THE GIFTS OF SPIRITUAL SERENITY AND CHRISTIAN HOPE; AS A PLEDGE HE IMPARTS HIS HEARTFELT APOSTOLIC BLESSING.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN

SECRETARY OF STATE OF HIS HOLINESS