Following a tragic bus crash in Zontecomatlan, Mexico, new details have emerged revealing that the accident claimed the lives of ten individuals, including a child. The bus, filled with passengers returning home for Christmas, plunged over 600ft down an embankment on Christmas Eve, just hours before holiday celebrations were set to begin.
Initial reports indicated eight fatalities and 19 injuries, but the death toll has since increased to at least 10, with 32 passengers currently receiving medical treatment in various hospitals across Mexico. Zontecomatlan’s mayor’s office confirmed the deaths of nine adults and one child, while emergency responders rescued and transported the injured individuals to medical facilities.
Authorities from the General Prosecutor’s Office of Justice of the State of Veracruz have initiated an investigation into the crash, collaborating with detectives to determine the cause behind the tragic incident. The bus had departed from Mexico City en route to Chicontepec in Veracruz’s Huasteca region, renowned for its picturesque tropical landscapes. The circumstances leading to the bus veering off the road remain unclear, including the status of the driver, identified as Carlos Daniel Baez.
State governors have pledged coordinated efforts in response to the ravine accident, with 19 injured individuals receiving treatment in Chicontepec and Huayacocotla. Despite the confirmation of eight fatalities by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, rescue and assistance operations are ongoing at the crash site alongside emergency response teams.