Authorities investigate after Maya Train car derails near Mérida

A azygous car of the Maya Train derailed adjacent the metropolis of Mérida, Yucatán, connected Tuesday arsenic it was dilatory pulling into the Izamal station, with nary reported injuries oregon deaths. 

According to a connection by Maya Train authorities, the origin of the incident, which occurred astatine 1:48 p.m., is presently nether probe by an examining committee. Service is operating usually astatine the railway’s remaining stations.

The connection said that aft activating information protocols, passengers were transported to their destinations connected institution buses. The bid was moving from the edifice metropolis of Cancún to Mérida. 

A national authoritative who requested anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to sermon the incident, told the Associated Press that portion of the derailed car leaned onto a bid connected a parallel track, ruling retired a collision. Photos and videos that circulated online amusement 1 car veering disconnected the tracks, but not overturned.

On Wednesday morning, the manager of the Maya Train Óscar David Lozano explained the origin of the incidental earlier President Sheinbaum’s regular property conference, insisting it was not a derailment but a “track error.”

“Just car 3 [of four] is disconnected the track, truthful … it is leaning somewhat connected the MC1 of bid 307, which is stationary. That is wherefore it looks inclined. And car 4 is wholly positioned connected way 2,” Lozano said earlier a diagram of the incident. 

“This should not person happened successful the plan of the railway system,” Maya Train Director Óscar David Lozano said arsenic helium explained the way mechanics that failed connected Tuesday. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

The manager of the Maya Train added that helium volition beryllium successful interaction with the companies liable for installing the information and railway postulation systems for the Maya Train, including Alstom. 

This is not the archetypal clip the Maya Train has experienced a obstruction incidental successful the aforesaid area. On March 25, 2024, a akin incidental occurred adjacent Tixkokob, the presumption pursuing Izamal, erstwhile the 4th car of convoy D006 went disconnected the tracks upon entering the station, traveling astatine conscionable 10 kilometers per hour. 

No injuries oregon superior spot harm were reported then. Passengers were evacuated and boarded different bid to proceed their journey. 

Investigations of specified an mishap concluded that the origin of the incidental was inadequate mechanical fastening of the way clamps.

The Maya Train, operated and managed by the Mexican Army, is 1 of the ruling Morena party’s alleged “Fourth Transformation” of Mexico. It began operation nether erstwhile President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s word (2018-2024). 

The bid runs done the Yucatán Peninsula states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche arsenic good arsenic Tabasco and Chiapas. It has stations successful oregon adjacent the cities of Palenque, Campeche, Mérida, Valladolid, Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Chetumal, among others.  

Since the task was announced, it has faced wide disapproval owed to its important environmental impact and its questionable profitability, aft it required an concern of implicit US $30 billion. It was primitively projected to outgo US $7.5 billion.  

Concerns person besides been raised astir the cognition of the Maya Train by the Mexican Army owed to a historical lack of accountability mechanisms for subject operations.  

With reports from El Financiero