Train derails in Mexico, killing at least 13 people, injuring 98

At least 13 people lost their lives when a passenger train came off the tracks in southern Mexico. The accident occurred in Oaxaca state and involved an Interoceanic Train near the town of Nizanda, according to the Mexican Navy, which oversees parts of the rail operation. News agency Reuters reported the incident on Monday.

Officials said the train was carrying about 250 people at the time of the derailment, including nine crew members and 241 passengers. Authorities confirmed that 193 people on board were out of danger following the crash. At least 98 others were injured, with 36 receiving medical treatment at nearby hospitals and clinics.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on X that five of the injured were in critical condition. She added that senior government officials had been sent to the crash site to coordinate emergency response efforts and support the families of those killed. Emergency teams, including military personnel, medical staff and civil protection units, were deployed to the remote area to evacuate the injured and secure the scene. Images shared by local media showed derailed railcars and rescue workers assisting passengers along the tracks.

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Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has opened a formal investigation into the cause of the derailment. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said authorities were examining whether technical failures, track conditions or human error contributed to the accident. Officials have not yet released details on the events leading up to the crash.

Interoceanic corridor under spotlight

The Interoceanic Train is part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a major infrastructure project launched under former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and inaugurated in 2023. The initiative aims to modernise rail connections across southern Mexico by linking the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with the Gulf Coast city of Coatzacoalcos.

Designed to handle both passenger and freight services, the corridor seeks to create an alternative trade route that could compete with the Panama Canal.