Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico, Dec 10 (AFP/APP):At least 53 migrants crammed into a truck traveling at high speed were killed Thursday in Mexico after the vehicle overturned in the southern state of Chiapas, a major transit point for those trying to reach the United States.
Thousands of people attempt the long and hugely dangerous journey, often seeking a life free of violence and poverty in their home nations in South America.
It is unclear how many people were traveling in the truck but at least 58 were injured, three seriously, according to a preliminary report from the prosecutor’s office in Chiapas, bordering Guatemala.
“It was horrible to hear the wailing. I just thought about helping,” 18-year-old Sabina Lopez, who lives near the scene of the accident, told AFP.
Luis Manuel Garcia, from the Civil Protection director for Chiapas — which will take over the investigation into the accident — said most of the travelers were from Guatemala.
The driver, who fled the scene, appeared to have been speeding when he lost control of the vehicle on the highway connecting Chiapa de Corzo city with state capital Tuxtla Gutierrez, officials said.
Mexican leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tweeted his condolences, calling the incident “very painful.”
Local state governor Rutilio Escandon said that “law enforcement will determine who is responsible,” adding that those hurt would be treated promptly.
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