A devastating multi-vehicle crash claimed at least 21 lives on Wednesday morning on a central Mexican highway, according to local authorities.
The accident occurred on the highway between Cuacnopalan and Oaxaca, in the state of Puebla, and involved three vehicles: a cement truck, a passenger bus, and a van.
“18 people died at the scene and three more succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Several others are receiving medical treatment,” wrote Samuel Aguilar Pala, a local government official, on the social media platform X.
According to Mexican newspaper La Jornada, the tragedy unfolded when a cement truck attempted to overtake a van, veering into the opposite lane. It first struck a bus, then crashed head-on into the van, before careening off the road into a ravine, where it burst into flames.
Dramatic footage posted by a local journalist shows thick black smoke billowing from the ravine, while a long section of the highway guardrail lies mangled at the crash site.
The crash has sent shockwaves through the region, prompting calls for increased safety measures on Mexico’s intercity roads.
