Tragic Bus Accident Claims the Lives of 16 Migrants and Injures 27 in Mexico
A devastating bus accident on the Oaxaca-Mexico superhighway near the border with Puebla has resulted in the death of 16 migrants and left at least 27 injured. The Attorney General’s Office in Oaxaca confirmed the incident, which took place yesterday morning. State prosecutor Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla revealed that the bus, carrying 55 individuals from Venezuela, Haiti, and Peru, was en route from the Migratory Mobility Center of San Sebastián Tutla to Mexico City.
The Mobility Center, established by the state government, provides assistance to foreign nationals, including ticket sales for travel to the country’s capital. The ill-fated bus was operated by Xoxo Tourism, a company charging 500 pesos for its services.
Rescue teams promptly arrived at the accident site on the Cuacnopalan-Oaxaca stretch and transferred the injured to hospitals in Puebla’s Tehuacán, Tepeaca, and Ajalpan municipalities. Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office dispatched a team of experts to initiate legal proceedings and determine the cause of the tragic accident. The bodies of the deceased were transferred to the Expert Services Center in San Bartolo Coyotepec, near Oaxaca City.
Conflicting reports initially emerged regarding the number of fatalities, with the state prosecutor’s office and the National Migration Institute (INM) initially claiming that 18 individuals had lost their lives. However, the state agency later revised the number to 16. According to the INM, among the deceased are 11 men, two women, and three minors. The majority of the injured are Venezuelans, with only one Peruvian recorded.
The INM stated that it would undertake the necessary administrative procedures to provide injured migrants with visitor cards for humanitarian reasons, ensuring they receive ongoing medical care. Additionally, the INM pledged support for the repatriation of the remains of the undocumented immigrants and assistance to the victims’ families in organizing funeral services.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara expressed his regret over the tragic incident, assuring the affected individuals of the state administration’s support. Sergio Salomón Céspedes, Governor of Puebla, announced that authorities from both states would assess the infrastructure of the Cuacnopalan-Oaxaca highway section, as accidents of this nature have occurred repeatedly.
Despite the tragedy, bus operations and ticket sales by companies such as Autobuses Fletes y Pasajes (Fypsa), Autobuses de Oriente (AU and ADO lines), and Xoxo Tourism continued normally. This observation raised concerns among human rights advocate Elizabeth Lara Rodríguez, who noted the lack of trained personnel and the denial of adequate rest for bus operators in their fight for customers.
Rodríguez recalled a previous warning issued by the Oaxaca Ombudsman in August, urging authorities to examine the operations of these transportation companies. The Ombudsman had raised concerns over the mistreatment of foreigners due to their immigration status.
The devastating bus accident underscores the vulnerability faced by migrants traveling across Mexico. Investigations into the incident will shed light on the causes, and efforts are underway to provide support to the injured, repatriate the deceased, and ensure the welfare of those affected by this tragedy.