Mexican Train Derails, Killing at Least Six Due To Stolen Track Nail

MEXICO CITY—At least six people were killed and 22 injured Sunday when a cargo train with several hundred Central American migrants aboard derailed in a remote area of southeastern Mexico, authorities reported.

The train, commonly known in Mexico as La Bestia, or the Beast, derailed near Huimanguillo, in Tabasco state, in the early hours of Sunday. The cargo train is frequently used by Central American migrants who jump aboard for a free but perilous ride in their attempts to reach the U.S.

A spokesman for the Tabasco state government said six people were confirmed dead and at least 22 injured, of whom 15 had been transferred to a hospital in neighboring Veracruz state. Earlier, 35 people had been reported injured. The official, who requested not to be named, said state public security authorities estimated that around 250 migrants were riding on the train, most of them Hondurans. 

He said the precise cause of the accident, in which eight of 12 cars derailed, had yet to be determined. The incident occurred in a swampy area where there have been heavy rains recently.

The Foreign Ministry said the accident affected people from several Central American countries, and that ministry officials were in contact with the corresponding embassies and consulates.

The train runs on the Chiapas Mayab line operated by majority state-owned company Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec. The Mexican government took charge of the railway in 2007 after U.S. operator Genesee & Wyoming pulled out of the concession, saying that government delays in repairing the line from heavy damage caused by Hurricane Stan in 2005 had made it financially unsustainable.