Mexican authorities said at least 13 people were killed after a train derailed in Oaxaca state, southern Mexico on December 28. The incident occurred near the town of Nizanda, injuring many passengers and forcing authorities to urgently deploy rescue.
The Mexican Navy announced that the train involved in the accident carried a total of 250 people, including 9 crew members and 241 passengers. Among those on board, 193 people were identified as out of danger. There were 98 people injured, including 36 people receiving medical assistance. The condition of some victims is assessed as serious.
President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social network X that 5 people were injured in critical condition. She said senior officials were sent to the scene to support the families of the deceased victims, and coordinate rescue and medical care.
The Mexican Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation to clarify the cause of the derailment. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos confirmed this information in a message posted on social networks, emphasizing that the investigation process is being carried out in accordance with legal regulations.
The Interoceanic train involved in the accident was inaugurated in 2023 under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. This train line is part of the Interoceanic Corridor project, aimed at modernizing the railway line crossing the Tehuantepec strait, connecting Salina Cruz port on the Pacific coast with Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mexican government promotes the development of this strait area into a strategic trade corridor, expanding seaports, railways and industrial infrastructure. The project's goal is to create a transport route that can compete with the Panama Canal, while promoting economic development in the southern region.
The train disaster service is also part of efforts to expand passenger and freight transport by rail, expected to bring new growth momentum to the region.
