Bus Crash in Mexico Leaves 15 Dead and 36 Injured; Mostly Venezuelan Migrants Among Victims

In a tragic incident, a bus carrying mostly Venezuelan migrants collided with a freight truck in central Mexico, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives and leaving 36 injured, as reported by local authorities.

While the government of Puebla state did not provide specific numbers regarding the migrant casualties, it can be presumed that a majority of the victims were bus passengers, with most of them being Venezuelans.

The accident occurred early Tuesday on a highway leading towards Oaxaca state, a common route used by migrant smugglers.

Accidents involving smugglers’ vehicles are not uncommon in Mexico due to their consistent use of unsafe vehicles, drivers, overcrowding, and attempts to evade law enforcement.

Offering his condolences, Oaxaca Gov. Salomón Jara Cruz assured support for the injured individuals and expressed sympathy for the families of the deceased.

“We deeply regret the accident that occurred on the Tehuacán-Oaxaca highway, at kilometer 91, which occurred a few hours ago,” he tweeted in Spanish. “I have instructed the heads of the relevant agencies to collaborate as necessary, as well as provide support to the injured people. We send a hug and our condolences to the families of the deceased, to whom we will also offer our full support.”

Migrants often rely on trucks and buses for transportation through Mexico on their journey towards the U.S. border.

In a similar incident in July, five Honduran migrants lost their lives and 18 others were injured when the van they were traveling in crashed on a road along Mexico’s southern Gulf coast. In February, 17 migrants were killed in a bus accident in Puebla.

In 2021, a tragic incident occurred where a truck carrying migrants overturned on a highway near the southern city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, resulting in the loss of 56 lives.