A train collision in southern Czech Republic has resulted in 57 individuals being injured, with two of them sustaining serious injuries, as confirmed by the regional rescue service.
The incident occurred near the city of České Budějovice, approximately 74 miles south of Prague, early this morning, prompting swift response from emergency services. Traffic in the Ceske Budejovice to Plzen route has been temporarily suspended and is not anticipated to resume until later in the day.
While the exact cause of the train crash is still under investigation, the Czech transport minister has suggested that one of the trains may have disregarded a red signal.
The collision left 57 people injured after two trains collided near Ceske Budejovice in the morning, according to the regional rescue service. The severity of injuries is yet to be fully determined, with reports indicating that two individuals are seriously injured, and a Ceske Budejovice hospital is attending to five individuals with severe injuries.
This incident follows a series of recent railway accidents in central Europe, with 13 individuals hospitalized after a train collision in Slovakia near Bratislava on November 9, and another collision in eastern Slovakia on October 13 that left several passengers injured, including two in critical condition.
Evacuation buses were deployed to transport uninjured passengers away from the crash site, while a total of 42 people were injured, with five sustaining serious injuries.
Jan Kučera, the Inspector General of the Railway Inspection, stated that an investigation is underway to determine if the crash was a result of human error, technical malfunction, or systemic issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding the cause of the incident.
Transport Minister Martin Kupka provided an update on the situation, mentioning the collision between an express train and a passenger train and the ongoing response by emergency services. He expressed concern for the injured and assured that investigations are already in progress to determine the sequence of events that led to the crash.
Reports from a regional hospital indicated that five individuals were admitted with serious injuries, while the remaining victims suffered minor injuries.
Images of the two train cars colliding have surfaced following the morning crash, with as many as 42 individuals sustaining injuries. Among them, two individuals were seriously injured, while approximately 40 others suffered minor injuries, as reported by the regional rescue service.
Authorities are actively investigating the cause of the collision, which occurred near Ceske Budejovice early in the morning.