A collision between a commuter train and a minibus on a level crossing in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, yesterday killed at least 16 people and injured several others, an official said.
“There were 24 people inside the minibus — 16 people died, including the driver, the rest are still being treated at hospitals,” Jakarta police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said.
Indonesian Ministry of Transportation spokesman J.A. Barata said that a team from the ministry and the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee would be deployed to investigate the cause of the crash.
Photo: AFP
Eva Chairunisa, a spokeswoman for train operator Kereta Commuter Line, said the accident happened shortly before 9am when a train slammed into a packed minibus as it crossed a railway line in the north of the city.
The bus drove past a closed gate at the level crossing before it was hit, she said.
“No one on the train was hurt in the accident, but several bus passengers died,” she said.
Chairunisa said the train driver followed standard procedures and sounded the horn to warn the bus before the accident happened.
The line was partially closed following the collision. Transport accidents are common in Jakarta, where roads are heavily congested, and buses and trains are often old and badly maintained.
In 2013, seven people were killed and scores more injured when a commuter train collided with a fuel tanker at a level crossing in Jakarta and burst into flames.
EUROPEAN FUTURE? Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says only he could secure EU membership, but challenges remain in dealing with corruption and a brain drain Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama seeks to win an unprecedented fourth term, pledging to finally take the country into the EU and turn it into a hot tourist destination with some help from the Trump family. The artist-turned-politician has been pitching Albania as a trendy coastal destination, which has helped to drive up tourism arrivals to a record 11 million last year. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also joined in the rush, pledging to invest US$1.4 billion to turn a largely deserted island into a luxurious getaway. Rama is expected to win another term after yesterday’s vote. The vote would
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
Myanmar’s junta chief met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) for the first time since seizing power, state media reported yesterday, the highest-level meeting with a key ally for the internationally sanctioned military leader. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021, overthrowing Myanmar’s brief experiment with democracy and plunging the nation into civil war. In the four years since, his armed forces have battled dozens of ethnic armed groups and rebel militias — some with close links to China — opposed to its rule. The conflict has seen Min Aung Hlaing draw condemnation from rights groups and pursued by the
RSS