A local passenger bus veered off the Chapala-Jocotepec highway on the afternoon of Monday, March 2, flipping over onto the driver’s side as it landed in a lateral lane on the opposite side of the roadway.
The bus was traveling towards Jocotepec in the vicinity of El Chante when the crash occurred near the turn-off to the bypass.
According to preliminary reports from the scene, passengers and first responders rescued 27 injured persons from the wreckage: 21 with minor injuries, five sustaining more substantial injuries, and two others found in critical condition. Those individuals were transported to the Municipal Medical Services clinic and nearby Jocotepec Community Hospital for evaluation and medical attention.
Many of the passengers on board were local high school students heading for afternoon classes at the Jocotepec Preparatoria.
At press time, it had not been determined whether the cause of the accident was a mechanical failure of the vehicle, the driver's negligence, or another factor.