No fewer than 13 people perish and 98 injured in rail accident in the nation of Mexico.
A tragic train crash in the Mexican state of Oaxaca has resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people, an incident sure to fuel opposition criticisms regarding the pace and management of the country's flagship government projects.
The accident happened on the Interoceanic Train, a line constructed to link the Atlantic and Pacific across the thinnest stretch of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This initiative was designed to provide an competing rail corridor to the Panama Canal, intended to promote economic development in the area.
“We are going to thoroughly investigate the cause of this accident,” declared the country's president.
The president reported that, of the some 250 people on board, another 98 were wounded, with five of those in serious condition. The president added plans to travel to Oaxaca to speak with those impacted.
Major Initiative of Past Leadership
The Interoceanic Train was a central development scheme of the former leader, whose time in office ended the year before. This project was intimately linked to his administration's strategic vision for the southern region.
Another multi-billion dollar railway undertaking from that time, a tourist and cargo loop around the Yucatán Peninsula, was also central to the wider plan to kickstart the economy of a comparatively disadvantaged part of the country.
Construction Oversight and Worries
The development of both railway systems was managed by the army, marking a significant increase of its role in civilian infrastructure. They were completed at an fast-tracked pace, defying expectations to be at least partly inaugurated before the end of that government.
However, this accelerated timeline had simultaneously fueled ongoing questions over construction quality.
- Sunday's accident was the third such incident on the Interoceanic Train in the current year.
- This includes an previous accident this month when a train hit a truck at a railroad crossing.
- The other major rail project has also had two non-lethal derailments.
Appeals for Review and Suspension
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the head of a major opposition party urged an prompt halt in the construction and operation of all comparable projects.
This stoppage was proposed pending a comprehensive technical review. The party declared that the situation "calls for immediate answers."
In response, the national leader asserted that the train had been functioning in complete adherence to all operational standards. Commitments were given that the government would be "accountable" in both the development and operation of these vital undertakings.
