At Minimum, 16 Migrants Perish and 29 Wounded in Southern Mexico Bus Collision

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A tragic bus accident in southern Mexico claimed the lives of at least 16 migrants, primarily from Venezuela and Haiti, in the early hours of Friday, according to official reports.

Initial accounts from Mexico’s National Immigration Institute indicated 18 fatalities, but this number was later revised downwards. Legal authorities in the state of Oaxaca clarified that the earlier overcount was due to the dismemberment of some bodies, confirming that the actual number of deceased was 16.

Both authorities reported that among the deceased were two women and three children. Additionally, 29 individuals sustained injuries, although their medical status remains undisclosed.

Photographic evidence from the accident site revealed that the bus had overturned onto its side along a winding segment of a highway in Oaxaca state. The mishap occurred in the town of Tepelmeme, situated close to the border with the adjacent state of Puebla. The exact cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

The National Immigration Institute disclosed that the bus was carrying a total of 55 migrants, a majority of whom hailed from Venezuela.

This incident is the latest in a series of unfortunate events involving migrant deaths in Mexico, which has seen an influx of migrants making their way toward the U.S. border. Migrants often resort to precarious modes of transportation—such as unregulated buses, trains, or freight trucks—due to frequent checks by immigration agents on conventional buses.

Just last week, 10 Cuban migrants lost their lives and another 17 were gravely injured when a freight truck crashed on a highway in the neighboring state of Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border. All the deceased in this incident were women, one of whom was a minor. The Institute reported that the driver was likely speeding before losing control of the truck, and subsequently fled the scene.

Typically, Mexican authorities disallow migrants without appropriate documentation from purchasing tickets on regular buses. As a result, those without sufficient funds to employ smugglers often opt for poorly operated and inadequately maintained buses that travel at high speeds to evade capture. Alternatively, they walk beside highways, seeking transportation from passing trucks.

In a separate event last week, a truck overturned on a Chiapas highway, resulting in the death of two Central American migrants and injuries to 27 others. Moreover, two Central American migrants died last week attempting to board a moving train in the state of Coahuila, near the border with Texas.

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• Comprehensive Coverage on Global Migration Issues
• Mexican National Immigration Institute
• Recent Migrant Crises in Mexico
• Transportation Risks Faced by Migrants
• Immigration Policies in Mexico
• Accidents and Migrant Deaths: A Statistical Overview
• Oaxaca State Legal Authorities
• Highway Safety Measures in Mexico
• U.S. Border and Immigration Control Policies
• Previous Incidents Involving Migrant Deaths in Mexico