A tragic train derailment in Mexico has resulted in the deaths of thirteen individuals and left nearly 100 others injured.
The Mexican Navy reported on December 28 that a train carrying 250 passengers derailed earlier in the day as it traveled through the southern state of Oaxaca.
The derailment took place near Nizanda on the main line of the Interoceanic train, which runs between Veracruz and Salina Cruz.
Me informa la Secretaría de Marina que en el accidente del Tren Interoceánico lamentablemente fallecieron 13 personas; 98 están lesionadas, cinco de ellas de gravedad. Los heridos se encuentran en hospitales del IMSS en Matías Romero y Salina Cruz, así como de IMSS-Bienestar en…
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) December 29, 2025
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed in a statement on X that the incident had claimed the lives of 13 people. Additionally, 98 individuals sustained injuries, with five reported to be in serious condition.
She stated: “The Secretariat of the Navy has informed me that in the Interoceanic Train accident, unfortunately 13 people died; 98 are injured, five of them seriously.”
She further explained that those injured were being treated at IMSS hospitals in Matías Romero and Salina Cruz, as well as IMSS-Wellbeing facilities in Juchitán and Ixtepec.
In her statement, she added: “I have given instructions for the Secretary of the Navy and the Deputy Secretary of Human Rights of the Secretariat of the Interior to travel to the site and personally attend to the families; also the delegates of IMSS and IMSS-Wellbeing.”
She noted that the Secretary of the Interior will manage the coordination efforts and expressed gratitude to the Governor of Oaxaca and his team for their support. The situation will continue to be monitored and updated.
Of those involved, approximately 36 individuals were transported to hospitals, with others sustaining only minor injuries.
Adding to the severity of the situation, some individuals fell down a 22-foot slope near the derailment site. Rescue operations are underway to assist those affected.
Hundreds of rescue workers have been dispatched to the area, including high-ranking officials who are engaging with the families of the victims involved in this tragic event.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos has confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office is conducting a formal inquiry.
In Mexico, train derailments, especially those involving freight, are not uncommon and are often attributed to outdated infrastructure, maintenance problems, or sometimes cargo theft. However, derailments involving passengers are significantly rarer.
Lamentamos profundamente el accidente ferroviario ocurrido a la altura de Nizanda en el municipio de Asunción Ixtaltepec, donde viajaban 250 personas y hasta el momento 139 están fuera de peligro, 98 lesionados y 36 se encuentran en atención médica; y 13 personas perdieron la… https://t.co/SmDJSbqMVd
— Salomón Jara Cruz (@salomonj) December 29, 2025
The Governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, expressed profound sorrow over the derailment in a public statement.
“We deeply regret the railway accident that occurred near Nizanda in the municipality of Asunción Ixtaltepec,” the Governor stated on X. “From the state government, we express our most heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate accident.”
He added: “All our support and commitment to the families who were traveling today on the Interoceanic Train. We send our deepest sympathies to their families.”