Bus full of Christian pilgrims plunges 90m off Mexican road leaving at least 12 dead

At least 12 people were killed and many left injured on 21 May when a bus plunged around 90m off a roadside in a mountainous region of southern Mexico.

The accident occurred near the town of Motozintla on the Motozintla-Huixtla highway near the Guatemalan border, reported Reuters.

Authorities said the bus, which had 40 people on board, came off the road and fell down a steep slope when the driver lost control of the vehicle. There is not at the time of writing a precise figure for the number of injured. The bus driver is believed to have died in the accident.

Personnel from Mexico's State System of Civil Protection rushed to the scene to rescue those who were trapped and injured. The accident is suspected to have been caused by a mechanical fault, which caused the vehicle to leave the road and fall.

Injured people were transferred to the IMSS-Prospera Rural Hospital in Motozintla.

Reports said the bus was ferrying people home from a spiritual retreat on the Pacific coast. The pilgrims had attended a Christian gathering at the Seventh Day church in the town of Pijijiapan and were returning to their communities.

According to local media channels, the mountainous road has multiple stops which make it more dangerous to travel along, particularly for trucks and cargo.

Earlier, on 13 April, 29 people were killed and eight were injured after a bus crashed into a fuel tanker in south-western Mexico. The accident took place in the state of Guerrero.