MOSCOW, September 23 (RIA Novosti) - At least 13 people were killed and 10 injured when a bus fell into a ravine in southern Peru, the official Andina news agency said on Tuesday.

The accident occurred when the bus driver lost control at a sharp bend in the road, and his vehicle plunged down a 100-meter ravine near the town of Jalhua, killing 12 people immediately. A 13th person died on the way to hospital.

Poor roads, old vehicles, and drivers who buy driving licenses on the black market are often blamed for traffic accidents in Peru. According to police statistics, 391 people were killed and 2,777 injured in 930 road accidents in the South American country in the first half of 2008.