BREAKING
Two Trains Collide Head-On in Czech City of České Budějovice – Dozens Injured
This is a developing story.
A passenger train and a freight train collided head-on late Wednesday night at the main railway station in České Budějovice, about 150 km south of Prague, injuring at least 38 people, Czech emergency services reported.
The crash occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. local time when a passenger train en route from Plzeň to České Budějovice entered the station on the wrong track and struck a stationary freight locomotive. The impact derailed both engines and several carriages.Injuries: 38 people were hurt, including the two train drivers (both seriously injured but conscious). Most other injuries were described as light to moderate (cuts, bruises, shock).
Evacuation: Around 100 passengers were on the train; all were evacuated. No fatalities reported.
Response: More than 100 firefighters, police, and paramedics were dispatched. The seriously injured were airlifted to hospitals in Prague and České Budějovice.
Cause under investigation: Preliminary reports suggest a possible signaling error or human mistake. The Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration and police have launched a full investigation.
Train traffic between České Budějovice and surrounding areas is suspended until further notice.
The incident is one of the worst rail accidents in the Czech Republic in recent years.