Bus crash in Mexico leaves at least 30 dead

At least 30 people have lost their lives as a result of a collision of a passenger bus and a trailer truck on the Escáreaga-Chetumal highway in Mexico. According to authorities, only 10 of the bus passengers survived at first, although the death toll could increase due to the critical condition of some of the survivors.

According to several witnesses who spoke to El Imparcial, the collision occurred after the trailer truck crossed into the lane the bus was traveling in, causing a fatal collision. Upon impact, the bus immediately caught fire, trapping most of the passengers inside. Just 10 people managed to escape by breaking the rear windows, although they suffered serious burns and injuries.

Critical condition of survivors

Members of the International Disaster and Emergency Response System (SIADE) transferred the injured to nearby hospitals as soon as possible, although they warned that they are in critical condition. In addition, according to relatives of the victims, another bus arrived at the scene to take some survivors to receive immediate medical attention.

The bus had left Felipe Carrillo Puerto (Quintana Roo) around 7:30 p.m. (local time) and was full. According to authorities, most of the passengers were asleep at the time of the collision, which reduced their chances to react quickly and escape.

Authorities urge caution

Although networks soon began identifying the victims and naming names, authorities urged caution. "We do not have an exact figure of the deceased people because this bus (...) is making different stops until it reaches its destination, where passengers may be getting on and off,” said the Secretary of Government of Campeche, Elisa Hernandez, in a video broadcast on social media reported AFP.

The government of Campeche also said that two response centers were set up to support relatives in legal proceedings and taking samples for identification of the bodies.

The company operating the bus, Acosta, said it is collaborating with the authorities to clarify the facts: "We have lost very dear colleagues as well as customers and friends, we thank you for your solidarity and understanding in this difficult time," the company said in a statement.