At least 13 people died and almost 100 were injured in a train derailment in Mexico's south-eastern Oaxaca region, the Mexican navy reported.
The train, traveling between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, was carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members at the time of the accident.
According to the navy, a total of 98 individuals were injured, with 36 requiring hospital treatment. The derailment occurred as the train rounded a bend near the town of Nizanda. Mexico's Attorney General has confirmed an investigation is underway.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that five of the injured were in serious condition, and that high-level officials, including the secretary of the navy, were en route to the crash site.
Photos from the scene depicted rescue workers assisting passengers who had exited the train, which had tipped off the tracks and partially over the edge of a cliff.
The Interoceanic train connects the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast and consists of two locomotives and four passenger cars, as per the navy's statement. The railway network in Mexico is operated by the navy.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz expressed 'deep regret' over the accident, indicating that local authorities were coordinating with federal agencies to support those impacted.
The Interoceanic rail link was inaugurated two years ago to enhance the regional economy, a project initiated by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. This initiative aimed to modernize the rail infrastructure across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and develop the area into a vital trade corridor, expanding ports, railways, and industrial infrastructure. The train service is part of a broader strategy to bolster passenger and freight rail transport in southern Mexico and encourage economic growth in the region.
