Bodies of 15 Migrants Killed in Mexico Trailer Accident Arrive in Guatemala
Workers remove the container from the trailer of a truck that crashed with migrants aboard during a road accident in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas state, Mexico, on December 9, 2021. - At least 53 migrants were killed on December 9 in Mexico after the truck they were hiding in hit a retaining wall and overturned in the southern state of Chiapas, a major transit point for those trying to reach the United States. GABRIELA COUTINO/AFP via Getty Images

The bodies of 15 migrants, who died in a truck accident in southern Mexico earlier this month, were flown home to Guatemala on Thursday.

The remains of the victims were placed in brown wood-colored coffins and brought home aboard a Mexican military C-295 transport aircraft.

Reuters reported that the caskets were unloaded at a Guatemalan base and handed over to the migrants' families. Most of the families were expected to bury their loved ones in their respective hometowns Friday.

Laura Elena Carrillo, the director of Mexico's international cooperation agency, expressed sympathy to the families and said the migrants left their countries looking for a dream, and "today they return to rest in their own land," the Associated Press reported.

"Today is a very sad day for Mexico, as we know it is for Guatemala," Carrillo noted.

More Than 50 Migrants Killed in a Trailer Crash in Mexico

According to The Washington Post, out of the 56 migrants killed when the semi-trailer truck owned by a human smuggler rolled over and crashed into a pedestrian bridge on the main road leading to Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas state on December 9, only 50 had been identified so far.

The Mexican government said 25 bodies have already been returned to their families, with another five expected to be returned soon.

Of those who have been identified, 37 were from Guatemala, 11 were from the Dominican Republic, one from Ecuador, and another from El Salvador.

Earlier this month, the first four bodies of Guatemalan migrants were brought home. Eighteen more bodies are to be returned later.

Authorities said they used fingerprints to identify the bodies, and they also asked the help of relatives in identifying their family members through photos.

In addition, more than 100 migrants were injured in the crash, and 27 of the migrants remained hospitalized, according to Guatemalan authorities.

Eduardo Hernández, Guatemala's Assistant Foreign Minister, said some of those injured in the crash continued their journey towards the United States by trekking north despite the accident.

The trailer that rolled over the highway was carrying around 250 migrants. The survivors noted that speed and the weight of the truck's human cargo might have triggered the accident.

Families of Crash Victims Demand Answers

Families of Guatemalan migrants killed in the crash had earlier demanded answers and information about their lost loved ones from the government, Al Jazeera reported.

The incident has highlighted the dangers migrants face while on the road, especially those illegally transported to the U.S. border. Dozens of migrants have already died from accidents or violence in Mexico over the past 10 years.

After the accident, officials from Guatemala encouraged the U.S. to invest in the development of the region. The Mexico, Guatemala, and the U.S. have sworn to crack down on international people-smuggling networks to avoid such accidents.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: At Least 53 Migrants Die in Mexico Truck Accident - From Reuters