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Wednesday 5 May 2021

Horror footage shows the moment an overhead subway line in Mexico City collapses and kills 24: President vows to punish those responsible

 Dramatic new footage shows the moment that an overhead rail carrying a Mexico City subway train collapsed, sending the carriage crashing to the ground and killing 24 people.

In the clip, from local surveillance cameras, the train suddenly plummets to the ground.

A plume of dust and ash then rises to the sky. As the dust settles, the train is seen concertinaed in the middle.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the tragedy, which will include the attorney general's office and an independent agency from Norway.


The train crash happened at 10:30pm on Monday night in Mexico City

The train crash happened at 10:30pm on Monday night in Mexico City

An aerial view shows the site of a metro train accident after an overpass partially collapsed

An aerial view shows the site of a metro train accident after an overpass partially collapsed

The subway carriage was left dangling in the air on Tuesday after Monday night's crash

The subway carriage was left dangling in the air on Tuesday after Monday night's crash

A trailer takes away one of the train cars that crashed after the train overpass collapsed

A trailer takes away one of the train cars that crashed after the train overpass collapsed

Relatives of the victims embrace outside the prosecutor's office in the Mexico City suburb

Relatives of the victims embrace outside the prosecutor's office in the Mexico City suburb

A car is seen squashed under the collapsed overpass

A car is seen squashed under the collapsed overpass

The country's president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, vowed the government would not hide any details that come out of the joint investigation.

'There's no impunity for anyone,' he said.

'I share the outrage that there is, I celebrate the position that the head of government has, which is essentially to clarify what happened.

'And secondly, when you clarify what happened with evidence, with authorities, you establish what responsibilities there are - who has responsibility, and what action was taken in consequence, no matter who it is.'

The Line 12 train was transiting through the overpass that connects the Olivos and Tezonco stations when the support column gave way around 10:30pm local time on Monday.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the mayor of Mexico City, said it appeared a girder had given way on the overpass, which she said was inspected last year.

She said the collapse seemed to indicate a 'structural failure.'

'It is not possible to say categorically, but it seems this is what happened,' Sheinbaum said.

Four people who live in the area told Reuters they observed the support structures below the elevated tracks visibly shaking when trains crossed.

Some recalled warnings about the humid soil being unfit for major construction.

'Every time I saw the train, I saw the columns and beams shake,' said Victor Lara, a daily commuter on the line.

'They're not well made.'

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