By Jacob Garcia

TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico (Reuters) -A minimum of 53 principally Central American migrants died when the truck transporting them turned over in southern Mexico on Thursday, in one of many worst accidents to befall individuals risking their lives to succeed in america border.

The accident occurred when the truck crashed on a pointy curve outdoors the town of Tuxtla Gutierrez within the state of Chiapas, mentioned Luis Manuel Garcia, head of the Chiapas civil safety company.

The Mexican Legal professional Common’s workplace put the demise toll at 53.

A Reuters witness heard determined cries and sobs from the survivors as Mexican officers rushed to the scene.

Reuters photos present a white trailer flipped onto its aspect on a freeway, with some individuals splayed out on tarps on the bottom for medical care. Photos additionally present rows of what look like our bodies of the accident victims wrapped in white cloths.

A video of the aftermath broadcast on social media confirmed a lady holding a baby wailing in her lap, each bathed in blood. One other video confirmed a person curled up in ache contained in the destroyed trailer, hardly shifting as helpers pulled out our bodies.

The fatalities included males, girls and youngsters, Chiapas civil safety mentioned.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Twitter (NYSE:) expressed his sorrow on the “very painful” incident.

The accident additionally injured a number of dozen individuals, who have been taken to hospitals within the space, authorities mentioned.

Migrants fleeing poverty and violence in Central America sometimes trek by way of Mexico to succeed in the U.S. border, and generally cram into massive vans organized by smugglers in extraordinarily harmful circumstances.

“This reveals us that irregular migration just isn’t one of the best ways,” Kevin Lopez, a spokesman for Guatemala’s presidency, instructed Milenio tv.

He didn’t know what number of Guatemalan victims there have been.

El Salvador’s international minister Alexandra Hill mentioned her authorities was working to see if Salvadorans had died.

Mexico’s nationwide migration institute mentioned it might provide lodging and humanitarian visas to the survivors, and Chiapas Governor Rutilio Escandon mentioned these answerable for the accident can be held to account.

Officers in Mexico routinely come throughout migrants packed into trailers, together with 600 individuals https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/migrants-12-countries-among-600-found-two-trucks-mexico-2021-11-20 discovered hidden behind two vans in jap Mexico final month.

Mexican authorities in Chiapas have tried to steer migrants to not kind caravans to stroll the 1000’s of miles to the U.S. border, and have begun transporting individuals from the southern metropolis of Tapachula to different areas of the nation.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has additionally urged migrants to not go away their homelands for america.

Critics have mentioned more durable insurance policies lead migrants to hunt out human smugglers, placing their lives in danger.

“(Authorities) generate smuggled migration that generates billions of {dollars} in income,” mentioned migrant activist Ruben Figueroa.