At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured after an Interoceanic Train carrying hundreds of passengers derailed in southern Mexico, authorities confirmed on Sunday, marking one of the deadliest rail accidents in the country in recent years and casting a shadow over a flagship infrastructure project aimed at transforming regional trade.
The accident occurred near the town of Nizanda in the southern state of Oaxaca, when the Interoceanic Train — part of a high-profile rail corridor linking Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts — left the tracks while in operation. The Mexican Navy, which oversees security for the rail line, said the train was carrying a total of 250 people, including nine crew members and 241 passengers.
Emergency services were immediately deployed to the scene, which lies in a rugged and remote area of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, complicating rescue efforts. According to official figures, 139 passengers were reported to be out of danger, while 98 people sustained injuries of varying severity. Of those injured, 36 were receiving medical assistance at hospitals in the region.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a statement posted on X that five of the injured were in critical condition. She added that senior federal officials had been dispatched to Oaxaca to coordinate emergency response efforts and provide direct assistance to the families of those killed and injured in the derailment.
“Our priority is to ensure medical care for the injured and full support for the victims’ families,” Sheinbaum said, adding that federal authorities would ensure transparency in determining the cause of the accident.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said state authorities were working closely with federal agencies, including the Navy, civil protection units, and health services, to manage the aftermath of the tragedy. Temporary shelters were set up for stranded passengers, while psychological support teams were deployed to assist survivors.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has opened a formal investigation into the incident, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said in a social media post. The probe will examine possible technical failures, track conditions, operational procedures, and whether any negligence played a role in the derailment. Authorities have not yet indicated whether weather conditions or mechanical issues were factors.
The Interoceanic Train is a key component of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a major infrastructure initiative inaugurated in 2023 under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The project aims to modernise rail and port infrastructure across the narrow stretch of land separating the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico, linking the ports of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca and Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz.
The Mexican government has promoted the corridor as a strategic alternative trade route capable of easing congestion at the Panama Canal. The initiative includes expanded ports, upgraded railways, industrial parks, and logistics hubs designed to attract investment and stimulate economic development in Mexico’s historically underdeveloped southern region.
In addition to freight transport, the Interoceanic Train also represents part of a broader push to revive passenger rail services in southern Mexico, offering an alternative mode of transportation while boosting tourism and local economies.
Sunday’s derailment, however, raises fresh questions about safety standards, oversight, and the pace at which large-scale infrastructure projects are being rolled out. As rescue operations give way to investigations, the tragedy is likely to intensify scrutiny of one of Mexico’s most ambitious development projects and renew calls for stronger safety assurances across the country’s expanding rail network.
