In brief
A train derailment in the Oaxaca region of Mexico caused the deaths of 13 individuals and injured almost 100 others. The incident occurred when the train rounded a bend near Nizanda, leading to an investigation by the Attorney General. Notably, several passengers remain hospitalized, with five in serious condition. The governor expressed deep regret over the accident as officials coordinate assistance for the affected.
At least 13 people died and almost 100 were injured in a train derailment in Mexico's south-eastern Oaxaca region, the Mexican navy said.
The train, which was travelling between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, was carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members.
A total of 98 were injured, of whom 36 were being treated in hospital, the navy reported.
The train derailed as it rounded a bend near the town of Nizanda, officials confirmed. Mexico's Attorney General is conducting an investigation into the incident.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that five of the injured were in serious condition and highlighted that top officials, including the secretary of the navy, were en route to the crash site.
Images from the scene depicted rescue workers assisting passengers from the train, which had tilted precariously off the tracks near a cliff.
The Interoceanic train, which connects the Pacific port of Salina Cruz to Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, has two locomotives and four passenger cars according to the navy, which manages the country's railway network.
The governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, expressed his 'deep regret' over the accident and noted that state authorities are working closely with federal agencies to provide assistance.
This Interoceanic rail link was inaugurated just two years prior to bolster the region’s economy, as part of initiatives led by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Designed to modernize the rail connectivity across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the Mexican government aims to develop this area into a strategic trade corridor, enhancing ports, railways, and industrial infrastructure.
The train service also forms part of a wider effort to expand passenger and freight rail services in southern Mexico, aimed at stimulating economic growth in the region.
