Campeche Health Department Defends Emergency Response After Fatal Highway Crash

A three‑person fatal crash, including a minor, occurred on the Costera del Golfo near Imí 2 in Campeche on 1 August. The accident prompted public criticism over the speed of the emergency response.

The State Health Secretariat said the incident was handled according to protocol, activating the Centro Regulador de Urgencias Médicas (CRUM) and the C5 system. Five ambulances – three from SAMU, one from the Mexican Red Cross and one from private firm Grupo ZIA – were dispatched, along with two urban rescue vehicles from the fire department and the Red Cross. According to the Red Cross coordinator Luis Miguel Canché, the first call was received at 15:48, the ambulance left at 15:56, and both rescue units arrived at the scene at 15:58, two minutes after departure.

The health authority reiterated its commitment to train first responders and modernise equipment, while urging road safety measures such as seat‑belt use and speed limits. The Red Cross also emphasized that its actions followed the national emergency‑call system (911) and rejected claims of unjustified delay.