Rescuers work at the site of a traffic accident on the highway nearing Tuxtla Gutierrez, capital of southern Chiapas state, Mexico, Dec. 9, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Photo: CFP

 

Photo: CFP

 
The number of Central American migrants killed in Thursday's tragic truck trailer accident in south Mexico's Chiapas state rose to 55, Governor Rutilio Escandon said on Friday.

More than 150 undocumented migrants were crammed into the trailer when it overturned around 3:30 p.m. local time on the highway connecting the state capital Tuxtla Gutierrez and the town of Chiapa de Corzo.

"After yesterday's accident, unfortunately one more person died today (bringing the deaths to 55)," the governor said via Twitter, adding he was working with the federal government to attend to the injured and families of the deceased.

Mexico's national coordinator of Civil Protection, Laura Velazquez Alzua, who was at the scene of the accident, told local press that of the 152 migrants on board, 73 were injured and 24 unharmed.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier in the day expressed "pain for these unfortunate, sad events," and reiterated the need to address the causes of mass migration to prevent further tragedies.

Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard, meanwhile, said the ministry was in contact with the governments of Guatemala, Ecuador and other countries whose nationals were among the victims.

Authorities said Thursday a mechanical failure caused the truck to hit a retaining wall on a curve before crashing into a pedestrian bridge, leading the cargo container to detach and overturn on the asphalt.