At least 55 people were killed after a bus carrying 75 people plunged from a highway bridge in Guatemala City on Monday (Feb 10).

The vehicle, which was traveling from the village of El Rancho, hit a car and plunged into a 20-meter-deep ravine at about 5 am local time, according to local media reports.

The president of Guatemala Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning.

Arevalo said: "We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims of this tragedy, who wake up today to news that tears them apart as families, but also tears us apart as a nation."

"As president, I have instructed to mobilize National Army personnel and CONRED (National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction) to attend the scene and activate special medical care criteria for the injured."