Tuxtla Gutierrez (Mexico): A cargo truck carrying refugees in southern Mexico crashed on a pedestrian bridge on Thursday, killing at least 53 people and injuring 54 others. The federal attorney general’s office said that according to preliminary estimates, 53 people were killed and three of the injured were in serious condition. Luis Manuel Moreno, head of the Chiapas state civil defense office, said 21 of the wounded had serious injuries and were taken to local hospitals.
The accident happened on a highway leading to the state capital of Chiapas. Photos from the scene showed the victims on the sidewalk and inside the cargo compartment of the truck. Moreno said the victims appear to be refugees from Central America, although their citizenship has not yet been confirmed. Some of the survivors said they were residents of neighboring Guatemala.
Guatemala’s Celso Pachico, a survivor of the accident, said the truck appeared to be speeding and then probably lost balance due to the weight of the refugees, causing it to overturn.
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Patch told Cole that the truck contained refugees from Guatemala and Honduras and probably eight to 10 children. He told that he was trying to go to America, but now it seems that he will be deported to Guatemala. Moreno said the truck appeared to have overturned as it overturned and collided with a steel pedestal across the bridge as it overturned.
At least 107 people were in the truck. Meanwhile, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei tweeted, “Extremely saddened by the accident in Chiapas and express our solidarity with the families of the victims, to whom we will provide all consular assistance.” (agency)