A high-speed train yesterday hit a railway engine and crashed into a pedestrian overpass at a station in Ankara, killing nine people and injuring 47, officials and news reports said.
The 6:30am train from Ankara to the central Turkish city of Konya collided with the engine, which was checking the tracks at the capital’s small Marsandiz Station, Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin told reporters at the scene.
The high-speed train transits that station without stopping.
Photo: Reuters
NTV television said that at least two cars derailed and parts of the overpass collapsed onto the train.
Sahin initially said that four people were killed.
His office later issued a statement saying that nine people were killed, including the high-speed train’s engine driver. Two of the injured passengers were in serious condition.
Television footage showed emergency services working to rescue passengers from wrangled cars and debris.
Rescue teams were looking for more survivors, Sahin said.
“Our hope is that there are no other victims,” he said.
It was not immediately clear if a signaling problem caused the crash.
Sahin said that a technical inspection has begun, while NTV television, quoting unnamed officials, said that three prosecutors were assigned to investigate.
Last month, 15 people were injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train in Turkey’s central province of Sivas.
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