At least 13 people were killed and more than 90 others were injured after an intercity train derailed in the Mexican state of Oaxaca on Sunday.

The Interoceanic Train was carrying 250 people when it derailed near Nizanda, according to the Mexican Navy, which oversees the railway line.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that five ‌of ⁠the injured were in critical condition. She said senior officials had been dispatched to the site to assist the families of the victims and that an investigation is underway.

Oaxaca state Governor Salomon Jara Cruz also offered his condolences to those who had lost loved ones in the accident.

Mexico's railway push

The Interoceanic Train was inaugurated in 2023 by Sheinbaum's predecessor and political ally, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

It was part of a push to develop southeast Mexico and create a strategic freight corridor linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

It involved the expansion of ports and other infrastructure with the goal of competing with the Panama Canal.

But some of the projects, including the Interoceanic Train and the nearby Maya Train, have been criticized over environmental and social issues. 

Other incidents have also occurred, such as on December 20 when a train on the Interoceanic route collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks, although there were no fatalities.

Edited by: Rana Taha