Interoceanic Train Derailment in Southern Mexico Leaves 13 Dead
According to official data, there were nine crew members and 241 passengers on board the train. The identities of the victims are unknown at this time.
The train on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in southern Mexico, derailed on Line Z, near Nizanda, Oaxaca. There were 250 people on board the train, and 13 of them lost their lives. Following the accident, the Mexican Navy, responsible for managing this port and rail network in southern Mexico, reported that “as a result of this accident, 139 people are out of danger, 98 were injured, of whom 36 are receiving hospital medical attention and the rest have minor injuries, and sadly, 13 people lost their lives.” During the search and rescue operations, the Navy deployed a total of 360 naval personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and a tactical drone. After the news broke, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum stated, "We are closely monitoring the work of the Mexican Navy to support users of the Interoceanic Corridor. The SICT (Integrated System of Communications and Transportation), IMSS-Bienestar (Mexican Social Security Institute - Welfare Program), and the state government are also participating."
For her part, Ernestina Godoy, head of the Attorney General's Office (FGR), announced that an investigation has been opened to clarify the causes of the Trans-Isthmus train derailment.
The Attorney General reported that ministerial agents from the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Oaxaca, as well as forensic and police personnel from the AIC (Federal Ministerial Police), are coordinating with federal and state authorities to carry out the respective investigations.
Likewise, the Secretariat of the Navy reported that it is maintaining coordination with the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) and with the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency to determine the causes of the incident, as well as the necessary actions to restore the operation of the railway, prioritizing the safety of people, infrastructure, and the environment.
“From the first moment, immediate attention is being provided to users, and coordination is being maintained with local authorities, as well as for gathering the corresponding technical and operational information,” I mentioned.