[1/8]Authorities work to remove a passenger bus that plunged off a highway killing several people, in Tepic, Mexico August 3,2023. REUTERS/Christian Ruano
MEXICO CITY, Aug 3 (Reuters) – At least 18 people died in western Mexico when a passenger bus plunged off a highway into a ravine early on Thursday, state officials said, adding the passengers were mostly foreigners and some were heading for the U.S. border.
En route to the northern border town of Tijuana, the bus had been carrying around 42 passengers, including citizens from India, Dominican Republic and African nations.
The bus driver has been detained, the Nayarit state government said in a statement, with authorities suspecting him of speeding round a bend in the road.
Officials said they were still working to identify those who had died on Thursday afternoon.
Around 20 people have been taken to hospital to treat injuries, with one woman’s condition described as “delicate,” the state government said.
The bus, part of the Elite passenger line, crashed near Barranca Blanca on the highway outside state capital Tepic, officials said.
Rescue has been “extremely difficult”, said Jorge Benito Rodriguez, security and civil protection secretary for Nayarit, as the ravine was some 40 meters (131 ft) deep.
Neither the bus company nor Mexico’s migration institute immediately responded to requests for comment.
Last month, a bus crash in the southern state of Oaxaca left 29 people dead, and in February, a bus carrying migrants from South and Central America crashed in central Mexico, killing 17.
Reporting by Mexico Newsroom; Writing by Sarah Morland and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Alison Williams and Christopher Cushing
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Passenger Bus Plunges off Highway in Mexico, Killing Several People
TEPIC, Mexico – A tragic accident occurred in Tepic, Mexico on August 3, 2023, when a passenger bus carrying mostly foreigners plunged off a highway into a ravine, resulting in the death of at least 18 people. State officials reported that the passengers were primarily foreign nationals, some of whom were heading to the U.S. border.
The bus, which was en route to the northern border town of Tijuana, had approximately 42 passengers on board, including individuals from India, the Dominican Republic, and several African nations.
The Nayarit state government released a statement confirming that the bus driver has been detained, with authorities suspecting him of speeding around a bend on the road. Investigations are ongoing.
Identification of the deceased is still underway, as officials continue to work on determining the victims’ identities.
The state government reported that around 20 injured individuals have been transported to the hospital for treatment. One woman’s condition is described as “delicate.”
The incident took place near Barranca Blanca on the highway outside Tepic, the capital of the state. The bus belonged to the Elite passenger line.
Rescue efforts have faced significant challenges due to the difficulty of navigating the 40-meter (131-foot) deep ravine, according to Jorge Benito Rodriguez, the security and civil protection secretary for Nayarit.
Neither the bus company nor Mexico’s migration institute has responded to requests for comment at this time.
This tragic incident follows a similar bus crash last month in the southern state of Oaxaca, which claimed the lives of 29 people. Additionally, in February, a bus carrying migrants from South and Central America crashed in central Mexico, resulting in the deaths of 17 individuals.
The latest accident serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety as authorities work to prevent further tragedies.
Reporting by Mexico Newsroom; Writing by Sarah Morland and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Alison Williams and Christopher Cushing
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.