Maputo, 25 May (AIM) - The death toll in Saturday morning's train crash
on the Maputo-South Africa line has risen to 200, according to hospital sources
contacted by AIM.
The crash took place at Tenga, in Moamba district, some 40 kilmetres north
west of Maputo. Hundreds of injured people were taken back to Maputo in another
train, and ambulances ferried them to Maputo Central Hospital.
According to the hospital, around 400 injured people have arrived there. At
least two of the injured have died in hospital. Transport Minister Tomas Salomao
travelled to Tenga, and told Radio Mozambique that there are still bodies trapped
in the wreckage: thus the death toll could rise further.
He said that the first indications are that the crash was caused by "human
error".
Antonio Libombo, an official from the port and railway company, CFM, said there
had been a collision between a goods train and a passenger train.
But one passenger, Maria Nuvunga, interviewed by AIM, said the locomotive of
the passenger train had become decoupled from the carriages, which then rolled
back down the line, and smashed
into a stationary train at Tenga station.
Nuvunga said the tragedy occurred before dawn, at about 05.00.
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