54 African, Central American migrants rescued in Mexican desert

A group of 54 migrants from Africa and Central America have been rescued by Mexican police after having been abandoned Tuesday on a highway in the desert of Altar, in the northern state of Sonora, the local government announced.

The deputy director of civil protection of the town of Caborca, Sachael Marquez, said 47 migrants came from a number of African countries and seven from Guatemala and El Salvador. The group also included 12 children.

They had all been heading to the border city of Tjijuana to ask for political asylum in the U.S..

In a press release, Marquez said the migrants had travelled for five days in a bus from the southern city of Tapachula, on the border with Guatemala, a journey of over 3,000 km. Upon entering Mexico, they received a 30-day travel permit from migratory authorities.

However, early on Tuesday morning, the bus began having mechanical troubles on the highway, in a desert area where temperatures can reach 40 degrees centigrade at this time of the year.

After trying to repair it, "the driver told the migrants to get out and told them he would seek help in the nearest town. However, he never returned," explained Marquez.

Police found the migrants around three hours later and took them to the town of Caborca, where they are being provided with shelter and food.

Karina Garcia, the mayor of Caborca, ordered a bus to take the group to Tijuana, 600km away, on Tuesday evening. Endit