CHIHUAHUA, Mexico (TNND) — Two U.S. officials, identified as CIA employees, were killed in a car crash on Sunday while returning from a drug lab destruction operation in northern Mexico.
The crash occurred on a rural highway, resulting in the deaths of the two U.S. officials and two Mexican investigators. Authorities confirmed the incident happened just after 2:30 p.m. as the team was concluding an operation against drug labs associated with criminal groups.
Initial reports mistakenly linked the U.S. officials to the U.S. Embassy, which was later clarified. According to the Associated Press, three sources confirmed the CIA's involvement. An official investigation into the crash is ongoing, as discrepancies in accounts from U.S. and Mexican authorities persist.
In response to mounting scrutiny, local Mexican officials retracted previous statements suggesting the U.S. officials were on an operational mission. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated she was unaware of the collaboration involving the Mexican army, despite earlier reports indicating their participation.
Sheinbaum emphasized that state officials and U.S. counterparts were coordinating efforts, but she maintained she had no prior knowledge of the CIA's involvement. Further updates regarding the investigation and any lane closures on the highway due to the crash are pending.