Four tourists were killed and 16 others were injured, including two Greeks, in a car accident in Peru.

A tour bus returning from Machu Picchu, the stronghold of the Inca Empire, fell “into a ravine about 100 meters high,” Tourism Minister Roberto Sanchez said on Monday, adding that “fog prevailed” in the area where the crash occurred.

The ministry said in a statement that three of the dead tourists were Colombians and the fourth was Peruvian.

In addition to the two Greeks, four Frenchmen, two Canadians, two Israelis, two Argentines, one Dutchman, one Spaniard and two Peruvians (one of whom is a driver) were among the victims.

The accident occurred on the night of Sunday to Monday, about 100 kilometers from the city of Cusco, the capital of the Incas, which is the main starting point for tour operators organizing visits to Machu Picchu.

Some of the wounded were to be flown to Lima by military aircraft.

“We express our condolences to the families and governments of the countries of foreign tourists who have unfortunately passed away,” the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter.

Traffic accidents are frequent in Peru, mainly due to the poor condition of the road network, speeding or lack of signs.

Three weeks ago, 16 people were killed when the bus they were traveling in fell into a ravine in the central province of Junin.

On average, about 5,000 tourists visit Machu Picchu every day. It was built in the 15th century by Emperor Pachacutec and is considered the most representative example of the Inca civilization. UNESCO has declared Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site.

^{Sources: APE-MPE, AFP.}