Missing 86-year-old man killed by Maya Train in Yucatán

Elderly Man Reported Missing Killed by Maya Train in Yucatán

Mérida — The man who was killed by the Maya Train in the state of Yucatán on December 17 has been identified as Álvaro Peña Quintal, an 86-year-old senior citizen.

At the time of his death, he was listed as missing, so his family had already begun searching for him. Mr. Peña Quintal lived alone in the municipality of Chocholá, and surveillance videos captured the moment he left his home on December 17.

Details of the Accident

• According to information from Proceso, the accident occurred at approximately 22:35 hours on the tracks of Section 3 of the megaproject.
• The incident site was located 5 kilometers from the Teya-Umán station of the Maya Train, near the Xpetén bypass.
• The megaproject route involved in the accident ran from Campeche to Cancún, Quintana Roo.
• The family reported him missing on December 18, with his missing person file being published that same day.

What Else Is Known?

It is unknown how he managed to reach the tracks of the megaproject and enter the train zone. Although there were other versions suggesting that Álvaro had been murdered and his body abandoned on the tracks, these versions were dismissed by official sources consulted by Proceso.

Because the Maya Train is a federal government project, the case was handed over to the National Guard (GN) and the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), despite elements of the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) arriving at the scene.

So far, the Maya Train company, which is managed by the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), has not commented on the incident.

Context: Derailments and Track Failures on the Maya Train

Since its inauguration, the Maya Train has recorded multiple derailments that have exposed infrastructure and maintenance failures.

• March 25, 2024: Derailment of a car at the Tixkokob station, Yucatán; there were no injuries, but it revealed a lack of proper mechanical fixation on the tracks.
• January 30, 2025: A freight train derailed near Bacalar, Quintana Roo.
• August 19, 2025: In Izamal, Yucatán, one of the trains derailed and collided with another parked convoy; although there were no injuries, operational safety was again called into question.