Early Morning Train Collision Causes Widespread Injuries
A serious railway accident occurred in the Czech Republic on Thursday morning, resulting in dozens of casualties after two passenger trains collided. The incident took place at approximately 6:20am near the city of Ceske Budejovice, located about 70 miles south of Prague.
Emergency Response and Passenger Evacuation
Fire and rescue services were immediately dispatched to the scene, where they successfully evacuated all passengers from both trains. One of the trains involved was an express service. Photographs from the crash site revealed significant damage to the front sections of both locomotives.
Emergency workers faced challenging conditions, with firefighters required to cut one of the train drivers free from the wreckage. The regional hospital spokesperson confirmed that four people sustained serious injuries. The regional governor provided further detail, stating that nine people suffered moderate injuries and another twenty-five received treatment for minor injuries.
Official Investigation and Service Disruption
Transport Minister Martin Kupka addressed the incident on social media platform X. While emphasising that a full investigation is underway, he revealed that preliminary information suggests one train passed a signal that was in the stop position.
As a direct consequence of the collision, all rail traffic between Ceske Budejovice and Pilsen has been halted. Authorities do not anticipate services resuming until Thursday afternoon at the earliest, causing significant disruption for travellers in the region.
