Passenger describes ‘chaos’ after head-on Machu Picchu train collision

A passenger described “chaos” after two trains collided head-on near Machu Picchu, Peru’s most popular tourist attraction.

Niels Honkoop, 33, told the BBC that he changed seats halfway through the journey from the middle of the train to the back, injuring many of those sitting at the front before the train crashed.

“I saw staff running around, people crying, people on the ground and chaos breaking out,” he said. “We got off the train and I saw people who were very seriously injured and covered in blood.”

A train driver died and at least 40 people were injured in the accident that occurred around 13:20 local time on Tuesday.

Mr. Honkoop said the table in front of him was split in two. Shattered glass was strewn across the carriage floor, and many people lay injured in the aisle. One woman he saw was trapped “between a bench and a table.”

He tried to help by carrying luggage and handing out painkillers, because coincidentally, “I had recently had my wisdom teeth removed, so I had a lot of painkillers on me.”

The UK Foreign Office said it “supports a number of British nationals involved” in the crash, while the US embassy in Peru said no US citizens were injured.

After the accident, Mr Honkoop said another train arrived providing medical assistance. He and his tour group were taken to a nearby village where they were given food and medical care and taken to a hotel.

The collision occurred on the road connecting Ollantaytambo Station and Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu. The journey between the two stations usually takes about 90 minutes.

The two trains involved were operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail respectively.

“We deeply regret what happened,” PeruRail said in a statement, adding that its staff “immediately” provided first aid to the train driver, train conductor and passengers involved.

The cause of the accident is not yet clear.

This comes amid an ongoing dispute between transport providers to the Unesco world heritage site, with local communities unhappy with what they say was an insufficiently open tender process.

Ticket prices for trains and buses that take tourists to the ancient city are high and can be quite lucrative for operators due to limited accessibility.

Built in the 15th century in the Peruvian Andes, the Inca city of Machu Picchu is one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World.

Visitors can take a series of trains and buses to reach the site or hike along the Inca trail with a registered tour operator.

In 2011, authorities imposed a daily limit on visitors to protect and preserve the area, but concerns about overtourism remain.