Three migrants from Cameroon died in a highway accident in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca, with at least five more being injured. The identity of the third deceased migrant is still under investigation. Oaxaca is a common route for migrants seeking to cross Mexico on their way to the U.S. border, leading to frequent accidents involving migrants. In March, the bodies of eight Asian migrants were discovered after a boat accident along Oaxaca’s Pacific coast, highlighting the dangers migrants face on their journey.
In 2023, a tragic bus crash in Oaxaca claimed the lives of at least 16 migrants from Venezuela and Haiti, further emphasizing the risks migrants take to reach their destination. Due to increased migration towards the U.S. border, migrants and smugglers are often forced to seek out risky methods of transportation, such as unregulated buses, trains, or freight trucks. In a similar incident last year, 10 Cuban migrants lost their lives in a crash in Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border, due to the driver apparently speeding and losing control of the truck.
Mexican authorities strictly prohibit migrants without proper documents from purchasing tickets for regular buses, driving many to resort to hiring poorly-driven and poorly-maintained buses that often speed in order to avoid being stopped. Others choose to hitch rides aboard passing trucks or even walk along highways. Tragically, last week, a truck rollover in Chiapas resulted in the deaths of two Central American migrants and injuries to 27 others. Additionally, two Central American migrants lost their lives after attempting to board a moving train in Coahuila near the Texas border.
The National Immigration Institute did not immediately determine the cause of the recent highway accident in Oaxaca, nor did they provide information on the condition of the injured migrants. With the surge in migrants traveling towards the U.S. border, incidents of migrant deaths in Mexico have been on the rise. The risks associated with migration often lead migrants to take desperate measures, such as hiring smugglers or opting for dangerous forms of transportation. The tragedies in Oaxaca and other states serve as a stark reminder of the dangers migrants face on their journey in search of a better life.
