Mexico bus accident: 18 die as speeding vehicle plunges into ravine

A catastrophic accident occurred in the western part of Mexico yesterday morning when a bus misjudged a curve, slid, and plunged into a ravine situated in the Nayarit region. The tragedy resulted in the loss of at least 18 lives while a further 20 people were injured.

The bus was travelling with people from different countries including India, Dominica, and several African countries. State officials revealed the bus was en route to the city of Tijuana in Baja California, carrying around 42 passengers.

Officials confirmed that at least 18 people died when the passenger bus careened off a highway into a ravine early yesterday. They added that the passengers were mostly foreigners and some were heading for the US-Mexico border when the accident occurred.

The bus driver survived and was subsequently arrested, and an investigation is currently underway. Police suspect the cause of the accident to be excessive speed resulting in the loss of control at the bend and catastrophic dive into the ravine which is over 40 metres deep, reported Reuters.

Road accidents are a common sight in Mexico; just last month, another collision involving a passenger bus in the southern state of Veracruz saw 29 fatalities. And earlier this year in February, a collision in central Mexico claimed the lives of 17 passengers travelling in a bus carrying migrants from South America and Central America.

The details of the accident were provided by Jorge Benito Rodriguez, Nayarit’s security and civil protection secretary. He explained that the rescue mission was particularly gruelling because the bus came to rest nearly 40 metres down the road after the accident.

The bus driver has been detained, the Nayarit state government said in a statement, with authorities suspecting him of speeding round a bend in the road. Officials said they were still working to identify those who had died.

The vehicle involved was from the Elite passenger line and crashed near Barranca Blanca, on the highway outside the state capital, Tepic.

Unfortunately, the bus company and Mexico’s migration institute have not yet responded to requests for comment on the accident. Meanwhile, the identification process for the deceased is still ongoing.