Survivors and relatives of passengers who died in a bus accident in Oaxaca on Wednesday say that some of the victims’ belongings were stolen after the incident.

The bus was transporting Oaxacan laborers from Hermosillo, Sonora, when it rolled over on the Oaxaca-Mexico City highway near the town of San Pablo Huitzo. The accident left two dead and over 40 injured.

After the incident, some people reported that their wallets, cell phones and other belongings had disappeared.

Police said they had taken some items for safekeeping and were investigating those that were still missing.

Providing an update on the accident, Health Secretary Donato Casas said that only one of the seriously injured had been discharged from the hospital as of Thursday and that 10 still remained.

Red Cross official Moisés Santiago said a shelter had been set up for the 24 victims who were still unable to complete the journey to their hometowns due to minor injuries.

He said that 15 others are already with their families and added that the Oaxacan government has offered to help with transporting them home so they can arrive in time to celebrate the holidays as planned. The victims are from four municipalities in the southern sierra.

Relatives of the victims hope to meet with representatives of the Sonoran company that hired the agricultural workers so that it will take responsibility for the medical costs and provide compensation.

Source: Milenio (sp)