Mexico bus accident claims lives of 16 migrants, leaves 29 injured

Mexico bus accident: In a devastating incident, at least 16 migrants from Venezuela and Haiti lost their lives in a bus crash in southern Mexico. The accident occurred early on a Friday, leaving a grim toll of casualties and injuries.

Initially, Mexico's National Immigration Institute reported 18 fatalities, but this figure was later revised downward to 16. The change in numbers was attributed to the discovery of dismembered bodies. Among the deceased were two women and three children, with an additional 29 individuals sustaining injuries. The condition of the injured victims remains undisclosed at this time.

Photographs from the scene of the accident depicted the bus overturned on its side, situated on a winding stretch of highway in the southern state of Oaxaca. The exact cause of the crash, which transpired in the town of Tepelmeme near the border of the neighboring state of Puebla, is under investigation. It was reported that a total of 55 migrants, primarily from Venezuela, were on board the ill-fated vehicle.

This tragic incident adds to a series of migrant deaths occurring in Mexico as a result of the surge in migrants en route to the US border. Due to frequent raids by migration agents on regular buses, migrants and smugglers often resort to precarious modes of transportation, such as unregulated buses, trains, or freight trucks.

Only last week, 10 Cuban migrants lost their lives, and 17 others sustained serious injuries when a freight truck in which they were traveling crashed on a highway in the neighboring state of Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border. All of the deceased Cuban migrants were women, with one being under 18 years old. The vehicle's driver, believed to have been speeding, lost control of the truck, which was carrying 27 migrants, before fleeing the scene.

Mexican authorities typically prohibit migrants without proper documents from purchasing tickets for regular buses. Consequently, those lacking the financial means to hire smugglers often resort to poorly-maintained, high-speed buses to avoid detection. Alternatively, some migrants walk alongside highways, attempting to hitch rides on passing trucks.

In another incident last week, a truck overturned on a highway in Chiapas, claiming the lives of two Central American migrants and injuring 27 others. Two Central American migrants also met their tragic end while attempting to board a moving train in the state of Coahuila, near the Texas border. These unfortunate events underscore the perilous journeys undertaken by migrants in search of better prospects and safety.

Also Read: Air India unveils new aircraft appearance following significant logo and design transformation

- With inputs from agencies

Join Whatsapp Channel