Home / Disasters and Accidents / LVMH Blames Carlyle for Deadly Peru Rail Crash
LVMH Blames Carlyle for Deadly Peru Rail Crash
2 Jan
Summary
- A luxury train collision occurred near Machu Picchu on December 30.
- LVMH's Belmond alleges Carlyle's Inca Rail caused the crash by unauthorized track transit.
- The incident left one person dead and injured dozens, stranding 2,000 passengers.
A collision between two trains on the crucial railway connecting Cusco to Machu Picchu on December 30 resulted in one fatality and dozens of injuries. The incident has led to a public dispute, with LVMH's hospitality subsidiary, Belmond Ltd., alleging that a train operated by Carlyle Group's Inca Rail was at fault.
Belmond's executive stated in a letter that the Inca Rail train proceeded through an unauthorized section of the single-track railway. This action allegedly led to a head-on crash with another train that was meant to have the right of way or access a detour. The incident occurred approximately 400 meters past the point where the Inca Rail train should have stopped.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which also left around 2,000 passengers stranded for 12 hours. Inca Rail is cooperating with the investigation, emphasizing the need for verified facts before drawing conclusions. The railway is a vital artery for tourism to Machu Picchu, transporting about 3 million passengers annually.
