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2013 Mexico train accident

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2013 Mexico train accident
The location of Tobasco
Details
Date25 August 2013
LocationHuimanguillo, Tabasco
CountryMexico
Statistics
Trains1
Passengers300
Deaths12
Injuredat least 22

The 2013 Mexico train accident occurred on August 25, 2013 after the freight train "La Bestia", with 300 passengers on board, was derailed in Huimanguillo, Tabasco. The accident killed 12 people and another 22 were injured, 16 of them were in grave condition.[1][2][3]

Background

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Migrants on La Bestia being passed bags of food and water

The freight train, transporting corn, cement, and minerals from Arriaga to Lechería railway station was known to have carried 400,000 to 500,000 illegal migrants from Central America heading to the United States, as boarding the train allowed migrants to avoid Mexican immigration checkpoints and detention centers.[1][4][5]

Accident

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The freight train derailed around 3:00 am on Sunday, as 8 of the 12 cars were overturned.[1][3]

Aftermath

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Ambulances were unable to reach the area due to the difficult terrain. At least 12 were confirmed dead by the end of August after the removal of the train remnants.[1][3] The cause of the accident is believed to be caused by the shifted tracks caused by the hard rain.[6]

In 2014, train operators have banned passengers from traveling on the train.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "At least six killed in Mexico train crash". TVNZ. Reuters. August 26, 2013. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  2. ^ "Mexico train crash: Five dead from 'La Bestia' accident". BBC News Online. August 25, 2013. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "Theft of track parts blamed for deadly Mexico train crash". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2013-08-31. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  4. ^ "Train of the Unknowns | Commonweal Magazine". www.commonwealmagazine.org. 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  5. ^ "Mexico: Invisible victims. Migrants on the move in Mexico". Amnesty International. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  6. ^ "Mexican cargo train used by migrants derails, killing at least 5". Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  7. ^ Villegas, Paulina (2014-05-10). "Stowaways Are Stranded in Mexico by Train Ban". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-01.