India: Train crash in Uttar Pradesh kills dozens
Baku, July 11 (AZERTAC). At least 69 people have been killed and almost 250 injured in a train derailment in northern India.
A dozen coaches of the Kalka Mail passenger train left the rails near the town of Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Rescue workers and locals have been working through the night to try to free trapped passengers from the badly damaged carriages.
The train was travelling from Howrah near Calcutta to the capital Delhi and derailed at more than 100kmph (62mph).
Among the bodies removed from the damaged coaches were those of two Swedish passengers.
A third Swede is among scores of injured receiving treatment in hospital in the local town of Kanpur.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed his deep concern over the accident, the second in a week in Uttar Pradesh, and has directed the railway authorities to use all available resources for the relief operation.
Some coaches mounted each other and others were badly crushed in the accident, making it difficult for rescuers to reach victims.
Specialist medical and engineering teams along with cutting equipment and cranes have been sent to the crash site, local reports said.
The cause of the derailment, about 120km (75 miles) south-east of Uttar Pradesh`s capital, Lucknow, was not immediately clear.
The drivers of the train escaped with minor injuries. They said that their train was derailed by faulty work on the track by rail workers.
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