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 opening of a formal investigation.
The accident occurred in the state of Oaxaca, where the Interoceanic Train derailed near the town of Nizanda, officials said. There were 241 passengers and nine crew members on duty at the time of the derailment.
At an initial briefing, the Mexican Navy, which operates the rail line, said several passengers had been injured. A few hours later, the Navy revised the toll and confirmed that “98 were injured … and sadly 13 people lost their lives”.
36 of the injured received medical treatment, with five 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 secretary of the Navy, to travel to the area to oversee rescue efforts and provide aid to the victims’ families. Writing on X, she said response efforts would be coordinated by Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez and regular updates would be issued.
The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that it has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the derailment. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said the investigation will examine both technical and operational factors.
The interoceanic train runs between the Pacific and Persian Gulf coasts, carrying both passengers and cargo. The line forms part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor, a flagship infrastructure project inaugurated in 2023 under former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
The project aims to modernize rail and port infrastructure in southern Mexico, connect the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, and create a strategic trade route 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 freight car attempting to cross the tracks, although no casualties were reported.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and said state authorities are working closely with federal authorities to support those affected while investigations continue.
