Train derails in India, killing 31

At least 31 people have been killed and dozens more injured in a train derailment in northern India.

Three coaches of a passenger train have derailed in northern India, killing 31 people and injuring at least 50 others.

Rescuers were using gas cutters to rip apart the mangled wreckage to search for trapped people following Friday's derailing.

They pulled 31 bodies from the wreckage, said Ashwini Srivastava, a spokesman for the railways.

The engine and two coaches of the Janata Express jumped off the tracks near Bachhrawan village in Uttar Pradesh state.

Several people were feared trapped in the wreckage, and rescue efforts were focused on bringing them out alive, said Ram Murath Yadav, a police official at the site of the accident.

One of the derailed coaches was crushed by the impact and most of the casualties were in that coach, he said.

The cause of the derailment was not immediately known. The federal rail ministry has ordered an inquiry.

The driver of the train escaped unhurt and was being questioned, Srivastava said.

Train accidents are common in India. The country's railroad network is one of the world's largest and carries more than 23 million passengers each day. Most accidents are blamed on poor maintenance and human error.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world