Car rams into crowd celebrating Mexico’s World Cup win, injuring 17

MEXICO CITY: A car ploughed into a crowd celebrating Mexico’s FIFA World Cup victory in the tourist resort of Cabo San Lucas, injuring 17 people, including the driver, authorities said on Thursday.

Los Cabos city hall said all 17 people received medical treatment after the incident, which occurred late Wednesday following Mexico’s 3-0 win over the Czech Republic in the final match of the World Cup group stage.

The driver was arrested, while authorities launched an investigation into the incident.

Videos verified by Reuters showed a black car surrounded by people wearing Mexico national football team shirts before it suddenly accelerated into the crowd, throwing several people into the air before crashing into roadside bollards.

Other verified footage showed members of the crowd pulling a person from the vehicle and assaulting them as several injured people lay on the ground. The condition of those injured was not immediately known.

“I would like to express our deepest solidarity with the people affected and their families following the unfortunate events that occurred tonight,” Acting Mayor Jose Manuel Larumbe said in a statement.

He said authorities would keep the public informed about the progress of the investigation.

Celebrations had erupted across Mexico after the national team secured a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic to qualify from the group stage of the FIFA World Cup.

Cabo San Lucas, located on the Baja California peninsula, is one of Mexico’s leading tourist destinations and forms part of the municipality of Los Cabos.