At least 13 people have died and dozens more are being treated for their injuries after a train derailed in Mexico, authorities have said.
The accident happened between the towns of Chivela and Nizanda in the southern state of Oaxaca, on a line connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, on Sunday.
Some 250 people, including 241 passengers and nine crew members, were on board, according to details released by the Mexican Navy, which controls the route.
At least 13 people were killed, the navy said, with 98 injured – including 36 who needed hospital medical assistance.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that five of the injured are in a critical condition.
During extensive search and rescue operations, the navy said it deployed a total of 360 personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and one tactical drone.
An investigation into the incident has already been opened, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said in a post on social media.
The interoceanic train launched in 2023 under the country’s former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. It forms part of the broader Interoceanic Corridor project, designed to modernise the rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec – connecting the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, covering a distance of approximately 180 miles (290km).
Read more:
What happened at Ukraine peace deal talks?
The Mexican government has sought to develop the strip of land into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.
In a statement, the Mexican Navy expressed condolences to the families of those “who lost their lives in this tragic accident” and said it was committed to providing immediate support to those affected.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
