At least 11 dead in western Mexico after bus careens off highway

A holiday Labour Day weekend turned tragic on Friday as at least 11 people ​died and 31 others were injured when a ‌tourist bus crashed in Mexico's western state of Nayarit.

The bus, travelling from the state of Jalisco, veered off the highway ​and overturned near the town of Amatlan de ​Canas, the Nayarit state government said.

According to officials, ⁠the passengers were on their way to a ​recreational center in Nayarit. Emergency crews from Nayarit and ​Jalisco responded, closing the road to conduct rescue operations and investigate the cause of the accident.

Photos shared by the Nayarit government ​showed the bus on its side and covered ​in mud.

Deadly bus crashes are frequent in Latin America and on Mexico's ‌highways.

In ⁠September, at least 10 people were killed and at least 61 were injured in central Mexico when a freight train smashed into a double-decker passenger bus. In February 2025, ​more than 40 ​people were ⁠killed in southern Mexico when a bus traveling to Tabasco from the tourist city ​of Cancun hit a trailer truck and ​caught ⁠fire.

Buses are a major mode of transport in Mexico, where passenger rail routes are limited. The government of ⁠President Claudia ​Sheinbaum is working to dramatically ​expand the nation's passenger rail network to connect many parts of northern ​and central Mexico.

- Reuters