Nizanda/Mexico City, 29 December (H.S.): A passenger train on Mexico's flagship Interoceanic Corridor derailed near the town of Nizanda in southern Oaxaca state on Sunday, claiming at least 13 lives and injuring 98 others aboard the service linking Pacific and Gulf Coast ports.

The Mexican Navy, overseeing the route, reported that the Línea Z train—comprising two locomotives and four passenger cars—carried 250 people, including nine crew members and 241 passengers, when its lead locomotive veered off the tracks while navigating a sharp curve between Chivela and Nizanda.

Of those on board, 193 individuals have been confirmed out of danger, with 36 of the injured receiving active medical treatment at hospitals in Matías Romero, Salina Cruz, and IMSS-Bienestar facilities.

Derailment Details and Emergency Response

The accident unfolded abruptly on Sunday afternoon along the Isthmus of Tehuantepec rail line, prompting immediate activation of emergency protocols as the derailed lead engine halted the entire convoy and scattered wreckage across the tracks.

Rescue operations mobilized 360 Navy personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and a tactical drone to evacuate survivors, treat the wounded on-site, and secure the area amid challenging terrain.

President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed five critically injured patients via her X platform, dispatching senior officials to support bereaved families and coordinate aid, while expressing national solidarity.

No preliminary cause has been disclosed, though authorities noted the curve's role in the incident; eyewitnesses described a sudden jolt followed by cars tilting violently, with some passengers trapped briefly amid twisted metal before extraction.

The prompt response prevented further casualties, though the toll underscores vulnerabilities in the recently revived infrastructure.

Official Probe and Political Reactions

Mexico's Attorney General's Office, led by Ernestina Godoy Ramos, has initiated a formal investigation into potential mechanical failures, track conditions, or operational lapses, scrutinizing maintenance records and black box data from the Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec operator.

Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara and Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle voiced condolences and pledged state-level assistance, highlighting coordinated federal efforts.

Sheinbaum's administration emphasized ongoing victim support, with the Navy extending condolences and committing to transparency in findings.

Inaugurated in 2023 under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Interoceanic Train forms the backbone of the 290-kilometer (180-mile) Corridor project modernizing the Salina Cruz-to-Coatzacoalcos link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Designed as a Panama Canal rival, it boosts freight and passenger services to spur economic growth through port expansions, rail upgrades, and industrial hubs in one of Mexico's poorest regions.

Sunday's derailment—the first major passenger incident—has halted operations temporarily, raising safety concerns for the ambitious initiative amid prior freight mishaps in the area.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar