At least 41 dead as truck crashes into packed bus in Mexico

Bus operator says the vehicle was driving at moderate speed before ‘trailer invaded the lane’ causing fatal accident

A burned bus is pictured after colliding with a trailer during its journey from Cancun to Tabasco, where people died in the accident, according to local media, near Escarcega, Campeche state in southern Mexico (REUTERS)

At least 41 have been killed in southern Mexico’s Tabasco state after a bus crashed into a truck, authorities said.

The bus carrying 48 people was travelling between Cancun and Tabasco when it collided with a truck near the city of Escarcega in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The bus caught fire and was completely engulfed in flames and images from the site showed only the metal frame of the vehicle after the collision.

A total of 38 passengers have been confirmed dead with both the drivers of the bus as well as the truck dead in the accident, authorities said, according to reports.

Bus operator Tours Acosta said that at the time of the accident, the bus was in optimal condition, moving at a “moderate speed” in accordance with the Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges Traffic Rules and all applicable regulations. It said that the truck travelling in the opposite direction veered into the lane of the bus.

“Despite the manoeuvres performed by our operator it was impossible to avoid the collision,” it said on Facebook in an update.

It said in the statement that it was “profoundly sorry about what happened” and that it was working with authorities to find out what happened.

“The public ministry has informed us that the investigation will be taking effect in the prosecutor's office of the municipality of Candelaria, Campeche, for this reason, the relatives of our passengers and friends will have to go to this department to perform the relevant procedure,” it said.

The recovery work to find more remains was underway as only “18 skulls” have been recovered from the site of the accident, sources for the security of Tabasco told Reuters.

Authorities said they will issue an update on the details of the victims and identities.