At least 21 people died and multiple others were injured when a cement truck veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a bus and a van on the Puebla–Oaxaca highway, officials said.
At least 21 people were killed on May 14, 2025, when a cement truck veered into oncoming traffic and struck a passenger bus and a transport van on the highway between Cuacnopalan and Oaxaca in Puebla state, Puebla Interior Minister Samuel Aguilar said in a social media post.
According to both Reuters and local reports, the cement truck had attempted to overtake another vehicle when it crossed the center line into the opposite lane, colliding first with a bus and then head-on with a van before plunging into a ravine and bursting into flames. Video shared on social media by a local journalist showed a large plume of smoke rising from the ravine and extensive damage to the roadside guardrail, though authorities have yet to verify the footage independently.
Puebla officials confirmed that 18 victims died at the scene and three more succumbed to their injuries after being transported to nearby hospitals. Several other passengers sustained serious injuries and remain under medical care, though exact numbers have not been disclosed.
This tragedy adds to a string of deadly incidents on Mexico’s rural highways, where steep, winding roads can pose grave risks. In March 2025, at least 11 people died when a bus flipped over on a mountainous stretch in Oaxaca, and in 2023, a similar ravine-plunge crash claimed 29 lives in the same region.
Local authorities have not announced any arrests, and an investigation is underway to determine whether mechanical failure, driver error or other factors contributed to the catastrophic collision. Puebla’s governor has urged motorists to exercise extreme caution on remote highways and called for accelerated road-safety audits to prevent further loss of life.
