The death toll from yesterday’s crash in Veracruz has risen to 21, according to official reports.

The accident occurred after a bus traveling on the Veracruz-Puebla highway lost its brakes and collided with a semi-trailer, causing both vehicles to burst into flames.

The crash and fire killed 19 people, including two passengers in the semi and 17 in the bus. Two others died later in hospital.

Around 30 other passengers were transported to hospitals in Río Blanco, Maltrata, Córdoba and Orizaba.

The passengers on the bus were pilgrims from the state of Chiapas who were returning home after visiting the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

José Éric Moguel, spokesperson for the archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez in Chiapas, told reporters that the pilgrims were from the cities of Tapachula, San Cristóbal and Tuxtla.

“They were returning from Mexico City to Tuxtla [after] they had visited the Basilica of Guadalupe on Sunday,” he said. “We were hoping that they would be home today, but sadly this accident happened.”

The stretch of the Veracruz-Puebla highway near Cumbres de Maltrata, where the crash took place, is an area where accidents are common because of dangerous curves and foggy conditions that limit visibility.

Last year, three people were struck and killed by a semi on the same stretch of highway as they looted cargo from another truck.

Source: e-consulta (sp), El Universal (sp)