Mexico disaster: At least 13 people were killed and 98 injured after a passenger train partially derailed in southern Mexico on Sunday, prompting an emergency response from federal and state authorities and the launch of a formal investigation.
The accident occurred in the state of Oaxaca, where the locomotive of the Interoceanic Train left the tracks near the town of Nizanda, officials said. The service was carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members at the time of the derailment.
In an initial briefing, the Mexican Navy, which operates the rail line, reported that several passengers had been injured. Hours later, the navy revised the toll, confirming that “98 were injured… and unfortunately, 13 people lost their lives.”
Of those injured, 36 were receiving medical treatment, while five were reported to be in critical condition. Authorities said 139 passengers were out of danger.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had ordered senior federal officials, including the navy secretary, to travel to the area to oversee rescue efforts and provide assistance to victims’ families. Writing on X, she said response efforts would be coordinated by Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez and that regular updates would be issued.
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed it had opened an investigation to determine the cause of the derailment. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said the inquiry would examine both technical and operational factors.
The Interoceanic Train runs between the Pacific and Gulf coasts, transporting both passengers and freight. The line forms part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a flagship infrastructure project inaugurated in 2023 under former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
The project aims to modernise rail and port infrastructure across southern Mexico, linking the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, and creating a strategic trade route intended to rival the Panama Canal.
Sunday’s derailment was the second major incident on the route this month. On 20 December, a train on the same line collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks, though no fatalities were reported.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said state authorities were working closely with federal agencies to support those affected as investigations continue.