Dozens of Central American migrants believed to have been heading north through Mexico en route to the U.S. were killed Thursday after the speeding truck carrying them rolled over while taking a curve, spilling bodies across the road.
Mexican officials figured at least 53 people were dead and about 50 more were injured.
Mexico’s president offered condolences on Twitter and said the migrants were Central Americans.
The accident occurred in the state of Chiapas, on Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala. That places the crash on the standard route for Central American migrants as they head north toward the U.S.
The Associated Press reported that survivors said they’d paid between $2,500 and $3,500 to board the truck and ride north to Puebla, in central Mexico, where they were to make arrangements for the rest of the trip.
The news service reported that speed and the weight of carrying more than 100 migrants appeared to be responsible for the crash, which is one of the worst mass-migrant death tolls on record for Mexico.
