The Mexican Navy, which operates the service, said the train carried 241 passengers and nine crew members when several coaches overturned while navigating a curve on the route from Salina Cruz to Coatzacoalcos. Five injured passengers remained in critical condition, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on X, adding that officials were dispatched to support families.
Rescue teams, including naval personnel, army soldiers, and civil protection units, rushed to the remote site with ambulances and heavy equipment to evacuate trapped individuals. The Attorney General's Office launched an investigation into the cause, with no preliminary findings released.
Inaugurated in 2023 by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Interoceanic Train forms part of an ambitious corridor across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, aimed at rivaling the Panama Canal by linking Pacific and Gulf ports for trade and passenger travel.
Spanning about 290 kilometers, the line seeks to boost economic development in southern Mexico through enhanced freight and tourism. This marks the deadliest incident on the revived railway, raising questions about safety on the infrastructure project.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz expressed condolences and coordinated state-federal response efforts. As operations halt on the affected section, the tragedy underscores challenges in modernizing Mexico's rail network amid regional growth ambitions.
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