At least 13 dead as train derails in Mexico

A train accident in southern Mexico has claimed the lives of at least 13 people and left dozens more injured, halting traffic along a crucial rail link between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The incident occurred on Sunday when the Interoceanic Train, connecting the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, derailed as it navigated a curve near the town of Nizanda.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the fatalities, stating on X: "The Mexican Navy has informed me that, tragically, 13 people died in the Interoceanic Train accident." She added that 98 individuals sustained injuries, with five reported to be in a serious condition. President Sheinbaum has since directed the secretary of the navy and the undersecretary of human rights of the Ministry of the Interior to travel to the site to provide direct assistance to the affected families.

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Oaxaca state Governor Salomon Jara also confirmed on X that various government agencies had mobilised to the scene to aid the injured. Officials reported that 241 passengers and nine crew members were aboard the train at the time of the derailment.

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The Interoceanic Train service was inaugurated in 2023 by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. It forms a key part of a wider initiative to boost rail travel across southern Mexico and develop infrastructure along the Isthmus of Tehuantepec – a narrow strip of land linking the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican government envisions transforming this isthmus into a strategic corridor for international trade, utilising ports and rail lines to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The train currently operates a route of approximately 180 miles (290 kilometres) from the port of Salina Cruz on the Pacific to Coatzacoalcos.