A terrible road traffic accident near the busy roundabout of San Sebastian, located in the outskirts of Costa Rica’s capital city, claimed the lives of two young men this past weekend. Jair Blokland, a 22-year old South American expat from Suriname and Jonathan Vargas, a 21-year old native of Costa Rica, were killed almost instantly after their vehicle struck a tree and later a bus.

The expat was trapped inside the Hyundai Elantra while his fellow passenger was ejected from the vehicle and passed away on the roadway. A Red Cross ambulance reached the scene of the accident immediately, but it was too late for Mr. Blokland and Mr. Vargas; they did not register any vital signs after suffering massive trauma and blood loss.

The driver of the bus against which the Hyundai Elantra crashed explained that no passengers where in his coach at the time of the accident. According to a news report filed by Alejandro Fonseca of daily tabloid Diario Extra, bus driver Jose Hernandez was on his way to pick up tourists who were enjoying the sunny weather at the beach in Puntarenas, specifically near the Port of Caldera, when he was surprised by the Hyundai Elantra colliding against his vehicle.

The bus, which is registered to the Transnasa and Rovicsa public transportation firm, was towed away from the scene after forensic staff arrived to assess the situation and evacuate the victims. This accident is a grim reminder that Holy Week in San Jose and across Costa Rica can turn deadly as many tourists, both foreign and domestic, hit the roadways and drive to their favorite beaches, mountain spots, and countryside retreats.