Islamabad: An express train rammed into derailed coaches of another train, killing up to 51 people and injuring over 100 others in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Monday, forcing authorities to call in the Army and paramilitary forces for rescue and relief operations in one of the worst rail accidents in the country in recent years. The Millat Express train from Karachi to Sargodha derailed and its coaches fell across the adjacent track near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh.
The deadly accident occurred when the Sir Syed Express headed from Rawalpindi to Karachi, coming from the other direction, smashed into derailed coaches of the first train, a spokesperson of Pakistan Railways said. Fifty people, including some railway officials, have lost their lives, Ghotki Deputy Commissioner Usman Abdullah was quoted as saying. Late at night the toll was updated to 51. Over 100 persons were injured in the accident, officials said.
Ghotki SSP Umar Tufail said the toll may rise as there were still mangled train compartments that rescuers had not been able to access despite the passage of hours since the accident. An emergency was declared at hospitals in Ghotki, Dharki, Obaro and Mirpur Mathelo where injured were rushed. Senior officials said that 13 to 14 bogies were derailed in the accident while six to eight “completely destroyed”.
Rescuing passengers who are still trapped is a “challenge” for the rescue officials, Abdullah said, adding that a relief train has departed from Rohri. “This is a challenging task. It will take time to use heavy machinery to free citizens (still trapped). We are also establishing a medical camp to provide medical aid to citizens,” he said.
Sir Syed Express train’s driver Aijaz Shah, who survived the accident, said that he was rescued by locals after two hours of the collision. He said the train was running at its normal speed when he suddenly saw the derailed coaches of the Millat Express train at the track. Due to the short distance, the train rammed into the derailed coaches of Millat Express, leading to the accident. According to officials, over 1,000 passengers were on board the two trains. Around 20 passengers still remained trapped in the wreckage of some of the bogies which were damaged and overturned, a spokesperson for the railways department said, adding that officials were accumulating all the information of the passengers and staff on both the trains.
Islamabad: An express train rammed into derailed coaches of another train, killing up to 51 people and injuring over 100 others in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Monday, forcing authorities to call in the Army and paramilitary forces for rescue and relief operations in one of the worst rail accidents in the country in recent years. The Millat Express train from Karachi to Sargodha derailed and its coaches fell across the adjacent track near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh.
The deadly accident occurred when the Sir Syed Express headed from Rawalpindi to Karachi, coming from the other direction, smashed into derailed coaches of the first train, a spokesperson of Pakistan Railways said. Fifty people, including some railway officials, have lost their lives, Ghotki Deputy Commissioner Usman Abdullah was quoted as saying. Late at night the toll was updated to 51. Over 100 persons were injured in the accident, officials said.
Ghotki SSP Umar Tufail said the toll may rise as there were still mangled train compartments that rescuers had not been able to access despite the passage of hours since the accident. An emergency was declared at hospitals in Ghotki, Dharki, Obaro and Mirpur Mathelo where injured were rushed. Senior officials said that 13 to 14 bogies were derailed in the accident while six to eight “completely destroyed”.
Rescuing passengers who are still trapped is a “challenge” for the rescue officials, Abdullah said, adding that a relief train has departed from Rohri. “This is a challenging task. It will take time to use heavy machinery to free citizens (still trapped). We are also establishing a medical camp to provide medical aid to citizens,” he said.
Sir Syed Express train’s driver Aijaz Shah, who survived the accident, said that he was rescued by locals after two hours of the collision. He said the train was running at its normal speed when he suddenly saw the derailed coaches of the Millat Express train at the track. Due to the short distance, the train rammed into the derailed coaches of Millat Express, leading to the accident. According to officials, over 1,000 passengers were on board the two trains. Around 20 passengers still remained trapped in the wreckage of some of the bogies which were damaged and overturned, a spokesperson for the railways department said, adding that officials were accumulating all the information of the passengers and staff on both the trains.
