Mexico: Bus carrying migrants overturns, killing 18

A bus carrying migrants overturned in Mexico on Friday (Oct 6), killing 18 passengers and injuring 27 others. Citing a statement from the prosecutor's office in Oaxaca, the news agency AFP reported that the dead were from Venezuela and Haiti. The accident occurred at around dawn on a highway linking Oaxaca and the neighbouring state of Puebla, the statement said.

Those injured were hospitalised, the statement added. Mexico's national immigration agency said that 55 foreigners were aboard the bus. Peruvians were also among the victims, it said.

Friday's accident is the latest crash involving US-bound migrants. Thousands of migrants from different countries have been travelling across Mexico in buses, trailers and atop freight trains in an attempt to reach the US-Mexican border.

Last Sunday, at least 10 Cuban migrants were killed and 25 injured when a cargo truck carrying them overturned in Chiapas.

The Mexican government has admitted to being overwhelmed by the number of migrants crossing its territory, the vast majority of whom are from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti.

Mexican authorities said they detained more than 189,000 migrants last month, while the US border patrol has reported 1.8 million apprehensions between October 2022 and August 2023.

On Thursday, US and Mexican officials pledged to redouble their efforts to tackle irregular migration through measures such as modernising border security, and increasing legal avenues among others.

(With inputs from agencies)

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