At least 16 people were killed in a fiery three-vehicle collision on a highway in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday, September 13, 2025, according to multiple reports from Mexican authorities.
The deadly crash occurred on the Merida-Campeche highway when a passenger van carrying workers collided with a car and then struck a trailer truck head-on. The van burst into flames and was split in two from the impact.
According to eyewitness accounts reported by local outlet Diario de Yucatan, the taxi collided with the rear of a car before the driver lost control and drove into oncoming traffic, where it was hit head-on by the trailer. The collision caused the van to erupt in flames, trapping multiple victims inside the burning wreckage.
The Yucatan Public Security Secretariat confirmed that 16 people died at the scene, including the trailer truck driver who remained in his vehicle. Some victims were killed after being thrown from the van during the collision, while at least five others died from being trapped in the fire. Two people survived the crash and were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Eyewitnesses described a gruesome scene with victims trapped in burning vehicles and bodies lying on the roadside. Social media footage showed large flames and pillars of dark smoke emanating from the wreckage as emergency responders worked to control the fire and search for survivors.
Firefighters, paramedics from the Yucatan Public Security Secretariat, state police, and the National Guard responded to the crash site. Emergency crews secured the area while forensic teams began their investigation. The injured survivors were transported by ambulance to hospitals in Merida.
Yucatan Governor Joaquin Diaz Mena addressed the tragedy in a statement posted on the social media platform X later that day. Mena stated, “With deep sorrow, we received the news of the regrettable accident.”
The governor expressed solidarity with affected families and confirmed that emergency, security, and health services were providing immediate assistance from the first report of the incident. In a statement on Sunday, September 14, Mena said he joined families as they identified the remains of their loved ones, making sure they were provided with the necessary assistance and resources.
Several bodies have already been identified and returned to relatives, according to statements from the governments of Campeche and Yucatan. Six other victims are undergoing DNA testing, while two remain unidentified and unclaimed by families.
The Yucatan State Attorney General’s Office confirmed an investigation is underway into the crash. Initial findings indicate the van’s driver was speeding before the collision occurred, though the full cause remains under investigation.
The deadly crash follows a series of recent transportation accidents across Mexico. On Wednesday in Mexico City, a gas truck overturned, releasing a cloud of fuel that ignited, setting nearby vehicles and pedestrians ablaze, leaving several dead and dozens injured. Just a few days earlier, in the State of Mexico near Atlacomulco, a freight train crashed into a passenger bus, claiming 10 lives and injuring 61 others.
The crash occurred near Calkini on the highway connecting Merida and Campeche, two major cities on the Yucatan Peninsula. The van was reportedly carrying workers returning from Merida when the fatal collision occurred Saturday evening.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or provided additional details about the specific circumstances leading to the crash. The investigation continues as officials work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the deadly collision.
