Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 3, 2026 — Firefighters freed a driver trapped after his white Urvan struck the rear of a CFE truck inside the city’s large tunnel Thursday afternoon.
The collision occurred at about 1:30 p.m. in the southbound bore of Túnel Grande on Libramiento Luis Donaldo Colosio, according to an initial report on the crash.
Our review of a detailed rescue account and separate coverage from the scene found consistent reporting on the vehicles, direction of travel and rescue. Authorities had not released the cause of the crash or the driver’s medical condition.
Traffic diverted near 5 de Diciembre
Municipal traffic officers temporarily closed the southbound tunnel while firefighters, paramedics and tow crews worked inside the passage.
Drivers were diverted near the cemetery in Colonia 5 de Diciembre and directed toward Fraccionamiento Gastronómicos, according to the account of the traffic operation. Police Turística officers also assisted with traffic control.
The closure affected one side of a major north-south route through central Puerto Vallarta. When the second tunnel opened in August 2014, the federal transportation ministry said it was expected to accommodate more than 21,000 vehicles daily. That figure dates from the tunnel’s opening and is not a current traffic count.
Firefighters use hydraulic rescue equipment
The driver remained conscious and alert after the collision, but his legs were pinned between the seat and damaged sections of the van, according to the detailed rescue report.
An additional fire engine carrying hydraulic extraction equipment was called to the tunnel. Firefighters used the equipment to move the damaged metal and release the driver.
The initial report said paramedics transported him to a hospital but did not identify the medical facility. Separate reporting said the occupants of the CFE truck were not injured.
The Túnel Grande has experienced other temporary disruptions. In June 2025, heavy rain caused a landslide inside the same tunnel, although debris did not block traffic in that incident.
