At least 11 dead in western Mexico after bus careens off highway

Images from the scene show severe damage to the vehicle involved in the incident

People and staff from the Nayarit Attorney General's office stand near the site where a tourist bus overturned, killing several people and injuring others near the town of Amatlan de Canas, in the western state of Nayarit, Mexico, May 1, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Ruano

A holiday Labor Day weekend turned tragic on Friday as at least 11 people died and 31 others were injured when a tourist bus crashed in Mexico's western state of Nayarit.

The bus, traveling from the state of Jalisco, veered off the highway and overturned near the town of Amatlan de Canas, the Nayarit state government said.

According to officials, the passengers were on their way to a recreational center in Nayarit. Emergency crews from Nayarit and Jalisco responded, closing the road to conduct rescue operations and investigate the cause of the accident.

Photos shared by the Nayarit government showed the bus on its side and covered in mud.

Deadly bus crashes are frequent in Latin America and on Mexico's highways.

In September, at least 10 people were killed and at least 61 were injured in central Mexico when a freight train smashed into a double-decker passenger bus.

In February 2025, more than 40 people were killed in southern Mexico when a bus traveling to Tabasco from the tourist city of Cancun hit a trailer truck and caught fire.

Buses are a major mode of transport in Mexico, where passenger rail routes are limited. The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum is working to dramatically expand the nation's passenger rail network to connect many parts of northern and central Mexico.