The locomotive of the Interoceanic train, carrying 241 passengers, derailed while moving near Nizanda town, Oaxaca state, on 28/12. Images from the scene show the train damaged, with several carriages having fallen into a canyon beside the tracks.

"98 people were injured, and unfortunately, 13 people have died," Mexican officials stated. The cause of the derailment remains unknown.

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that 5 injured individuals are in critical condition. The Mexican Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation into the incident.

This railway line, which runs between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, was inaugurated in 2023 under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and transports both passengers and cargo. The line is part of the larger Interoceanic Corridor project.

Rescue workers move an injured woman from the Interoceanic train. Photo: AFP

This initiative aims to modernize the railway line crossing the Tehuantepec isthmus, connecting Salina Cruz port on Mexico's Pacific coast with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf of Mexico coast. The Mexican government has sought to develop this isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways, and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a transportation route that can compete with the Panama Canal.

This train service is also part of a broader strategy to expand passenger and cargo rail transport in southern Mexico, while promoting economic development for the region.

Huyen Le (according to AFP, Reuters)