Thirteen people were killed and 98 others injured when the Interoceanic Train derailed near Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico, on Sunday, December 28, 2025. The train was carrying 250 people when it went off the rails as it passed a curve on the route between Oaxaca and Veracruz.
The Mexican Navy reported that nine crew members and 241 passengers were aboard at the time of the accident. Of the 98 injured, five remained in serious or critical condition. Thirty-six of those injured were still receiving medical care, while 139 people were reported to be out of danger.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum directed the navy secretary to travel to the area. The Ministry of Interior coordinated the response to the incident. “Emergency units had difficulty accessing the area where the derailment occurred,” officials reported.
The train had departed from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and was heading to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, when the accident occurred near Asuncion Ixtaltepec. The derailment happened approximately five kilometers south of Nizanda. Train cars fell off a steep hill and toppled on their sides.
Among the dead was a 15-year-old. Luisa Serrano Garcia’s family searched for her in the aftermath of the crash before receiving confirmation of her death. Her grandmother had pleaded on social media for help finding her granddaughter.
Ana Guadalupe Fabre and her 16-year-old son were both injured in the derailment. The passenger reported that the train was going fast before the accident occurred.
Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara Cruz expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. The Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation to determine the cause of the derailment.
The Interoceanic Train line was inaugurated in 2023 by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The train runs between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, carrying both passengers and freight. The line was part of a major infrastructure project designed to develop southeast Mexico.
The initiative modernized the rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a land bridge connecting Mexico’s Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast. The Mexican government sought to develop the Isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.
The Interoceanic Train had experienced another incident on December 20 when a train on the same route collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks. That collision did not result in any deaths.
The December 28 derailment marked one of the deadliest incidents on Mexico’s recently expanded passenger rail network. Images from the scene showed train carriages separated from the tracks and lying on their sides in dense vegetation. Some passengers remained trapped in the derailed carriages immediately following the accident.
The difficult terrain surrounding the crash site complicated rescue efforts. Emergency responders worked to reach injured passengers and transport them to medical facilities. The remote location in the southern state of Oaxaca presented challenges for emergency services attempting to access the area quickly.
The train line’s rapid construction and development had been part of Lopez Obrador’s broader push to expand infrastructure in southeastern Mexico. The project aimed to provide improved connectivity for rural areas while creating economic opportunities through enhanced freight transportation capabilities between Mexico’s two coasts.
Families of victims and survivors gathered in Oaxaca following the crash, seeking information about their loved ones. Many expressed frustration over the limited information available about what caused the derailment and demanded answers from government officials about safety protocols on the line.
The investigation into the Sunday derailment continued as authorities worked to determine whether mechanical failure, track conditions, speed or other factors contributed to the accident. “The Attorney General’s Office will conduct a thorough examination of all aspects of the incident to prevent future tragedies on the Interoceanic Train route,” officials stated.
