Worker dies in Ciudad Victoria aqueduct collapse, prompting water outage and rescue efforts
On June 22, 2026 a section of the Guadalupe Victoria aqueduct under construction in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas ruptured, sending a strong water jet that swept 20‑year‑old worker Cristian Arturo Cárdenas into the duct. The incident injured four coworkers and left Cárdenas missing. After more than 24 hours, his father, Juan Arturo Cárdenas, entered the pipe and located the body, saying “Yo sabía que te iba a encontrar.”
Rescue teams from CONAGUA, the State Civil Protection agency, the Guard, the Fiscalía, the Red Cross, and specialized equipment—including thermal‑vision drones and an underwater drone—participated in the search. The Fiscalía transferred the remains to the forensic service for autopsy.
Governor Américo Villarreal Anaya expressed condolences and ordered immediate work to restore potable water, which had been suspended as a precaution. Public works officials, together with CONAGUA, continued repairs on the second line of the aqueduct, aiming to resume supply within 24 hours. Authorities are investigating the cause of the pipe failure and reviewing safety procedures for the project.