A tragic accident occurred in northern Mexico on Saturday when a cargo truck collided with a passenger bus, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 individuals and injuries to six others. Authorities had initially reported a higher death toll of 24, but revised the figure based on additional information from first responders.
Rodrigo Reyes, a senior official from the state of Zacatecas, commented on the incident, stating, “Following rescue efforts and expert work carried out at the scene, the confirmed number is, unfortunately, 19 people.” He also noted that six individuals are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
The collision took place on a highway connecting Zacatecas to the central state of Aguascalientes. Reports indicate that the accident was triggered when a container filled with corn fell off the truck, causing the bus, which was carrying 25 passengers, to overturn. The bus was en route from the city of Tepic in western Nayarit state to Ciudad Juárez near the US border.
As a result of the accident, the highway has been closed to traffic, with military, National Guard, and civil protection forces responding to the scene.
Traffic accidents in Mexico have been increasing since 2020. Statistics from Inegi, the national statistics institute, show that there were over 300,000 accidents that year, rising to 381,048 in the previous year, which resulted in 4,803 fatalities and more than 90,000 injuries.
