13 Killed in Second Major Rail Incident

A deadly train derailment on Mexico’s flagship Interoceanic rail line exposes serious safety failures that could have been prevented, raising urgent questions about government oversight of critical infrastructure projects. On December 29, 2025, an Interoceanic passenger train derailed near Nizanda, Oaxaca, killing 13 and injuring nearly 100 people. This accident on the high-profile Pacific-Gulf trade corridor marks the second major incident on the line within days, fueling concerns that political priorities overshadowed necessary safety preparations before full passenger service commenced.

Story Summary

Interoceanic passenger train derailed near Nizanda, Oaxaca, killing 13 and injuring nearly 100 people.
Accident occurred on a curve of Mexico’s high-profile Pacific-Gulf trade corridor route.
Second major incident on the same line within days, following a previous truck collision.
Investigation underway as rail service remains suspended on the strategic trade route.

Tragic Derailment Claims Multiple Lives

On December 29, 2025, an Interoceanic passenger train carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members derailed near Nizanda in Oaxaca, Mexico. The train was navigating a curve when the accident occurred, resulting in 13 confirmed deaths and nearly 100 injuries. Middle carriages suffered the most severe damage, with passengers sustaining broken bones and other serious injuries requiring immediate hospitalization.

Emergency response teams immediately mobilized to evacuate passengers from the tilted and damaged carriages. The disturbing scene included children among the victims, highlighting the human cost of what appears to be preventable infrastructure failures. President Claudia Sheinbaum dispatched senior officials to the crash site, demonstrating the national significance of this disaster.

🔴MEXICO 🇲🇽| A passenger train derailed Sunday afternoon in the south-eastern of #Mexico, killing 13 : the #Interoceánico, on the Salina Cruz-Coatzacoalcos line, with 241 passengers and 9 crew members, derailed near #Nizanda, in the state of Oaxaca, as it rounded a sharp turn. pic.twitter.com/MpEg1Bz9N4

— Nanana365 (@nanana365media) December 29, 2025

Pattern of Safety Failures Emerges

This derailment represents the second major incident on the Interoceanic rail line within days. The same route recently experienced a collision between a train and cargo truck, though that incident resulted in no fatalities. These back-to-back safety failures raise serious concerns about operational standards and oversight on Mexico’s flagship infrastructure project connecting Pacific and Gulf ports.

The Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec represents a major government initiative to revitalize a 19th-century rail line for modern trade and passenger service. However, the route’s challenging curves and recent operational rollout appear to present risks that were inadequately addressed before full passenger service commenced.

Investigation Reveals Government Accountability Gap

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation into the derailment’s cause, while rail traffic remains halted along the entire Pacific-Gulf line. Initial assessments point to the track bend as a critical factor, suggesting potential design or maintenance deficiencies that government oversight should have identified and corrected before passenger operations began.

The incident casts doubt on government infrastructure management and raises questions about whether political priorities overshadowed safety considerations. This tragedy demonstrates how inadequate government oversight of critical infrastructure can have devastating consequences for innocent citizens who trusted the system to protect their safety during routine travel.

Watch the report: Mexico’s DEADLY Interoceanic Train Derailment – How Did It Happen?