Major Train Collision in Southern Czech Republic
Dozens of people have been injured after two passenger trains collided in the Czech Republic on Thursday morning. The incident, which occurred near the city of Ceske Budejovice, resulted in 57 confirmed injuries, with several passengers reported to be in a serious condition.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
The crash took place at approximately 6.20am local time in a region about 74 miles south of Prague. Fire and rescue services were immediately dispatched to the scene. According to official statements, all passengers were successfully evacuated from the two trains involved.
Initial reports from the regional rescue service indicated that two people had sustained serious injuries. However, a hospital in Ceske Budejovice later provided an update, stating that five of the patients it had admitted were seriously injured.
Investigation Points to Signal Irregularity
Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka addressed the incident on social media platform X. While he confirmed that a full investigation is underway, he revealed that preliminary information suggests one of the trains likely passed a signal that was in the stop position.
One of the trains involved was confirmed to be an express service. The collision has caused significant travel disruption, with traffic on the line between Ceske Budejovice and Plzen halted completely. Authorities do not expect services to resume until the afternoon at the earliest as emergency crews and investigators continue their work at the site.
