The rubble of crashed vehicles litter a coastal highway in Peru on March 23.

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Three buses and a freezer truck were involved in a crash in northern Peru

At least 37 people are dead and six are in critical condition

CNN  — 

A highway crash involving three buses and a freezer truck in northern Peru killed at least 37 people, the country’s Ministry of Health said Monday.

Six others were in critical condition after the Monday morning crash on a highway near the city of Casma, in the Ancash region, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) north of Lima, the capital.

One of the buses entered an oncoming lane and struck another bus as the other two vehicles approached, the state-run Agencia Andina news agency reported, citing a fire department official.

Bus travel is an essential form of transportation for Peruvians going north and south between cities along the Pan-American Highway, which hugs the Pacific coast.