OAXACA, Mexico, March 30, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The bodies of eight suspected migrants, believed to be victims of a boat accident, were found on a beach in southern Mexico's Oaxaca state on Friday, the prosecutor's office said. 

"The victims were reportedly involved in an accident while traveling aboard a boat off the coast of Oaxaca," the prosecutor said in a statement. 

It added that one man had survived the incident. 

"According to preliminary information, the people found may have been involved in a migration situation," the statement said, adding that the victims were believed to be "of Asian origin".

The shore where the bodies were discovered, Playa Vicente in San Francisco del Mar, sits along a route frequently used by people trying to reach the United States. 

Thousands of undocumented migrants -- often fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries -- transit through Mexico each year trying to reach the US border.

According to official data, migrants apprehended last year while crossing Mexico included citizens of China, India and Uzbekistan. 

The rising numbers of migrants have overwhelmed Mexican immigration facilities and shelters, while the government has come under increased pressure from the United States to tackle the issue.

BSS/AFP/MSY/1424 hrs