Harry Sekulich
At least 13 individuals perished and nearly 100 sustained injuries following a train derailment in the southern Oaxaca region of Mexico, as reported by the Mexican navy.
The train was en route between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, carrying 241 passengers along with nine crew members.
A total of 98 individuals were hurt, with 36 receiving treatment in hospitals, according to the navy.
The derailment occurred as the train navigated a curve close to the town of Nizanda, officials stated. The Attorney General of Mexico confirmed that an investigation is in progress.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned that five of the injured individuals are in critical condition.
She added that high-ranking officials, including the Secretary of the Navy, are heading to the crash site.
Images from the crash scene depicted rescue personnel aiding passengers to exit the train, which had derailed and tilted partially over a cliff.
The Interoceanic train, linking the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, was composed of two locomotives and four passenger cars, according to the navy. The Mexican navy operates the country’s railway system.
Oaxaca’s Governor Salomón Jara Cruz conveyed “deep sorrow” over the incident in an official statement, explaining that state authorities were collaborating with federal agencies to support those impacted.
The Interoceanic rail connection was launched two years prior to enhance the local economy, an initiative led by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Aimed at modernizing the rail connection across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the Mexican government intends to develop the region into a vital trade corridor, expanding ports, railroads, and industrial facilities.
The train service also forms part of a larger effort to enhance passenger and freight rail operations in southern Mexico and foster economic growth in the area.
