Passenger train carrying over 240 people derails in southeast Mexico

MEXICO CITY -- A passenger train carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members derailed on a bridge near Nizanda in southeastern Mexico on Sunday, leaving several people trapped and injured, the Secretariat of the Navy said on social media.

The train plunged into a ravine while en route to the municipality of Matias Romero, according to Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara.

Authorities have launched a rescue operation using ropes and specialized equipment to evacuate those trapped inside a train car.

"Personnel from the state coordination of civil protection and risk management, state traffic police, and ambulances are already providing support, in coordination with the Secretariat of the Navy. We will continue to provide updates," said the governor.