Train crash in southern Pakistan kills more than a hundred

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Location of Ghotki in the Sindh province

At least 127 died early this morning when three trains crashed in a chain reaction in a station near Ghotki in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. It is feared the fatality count may rise as high as 200-300 people. Around 800 others were injured, many of them seriously. Officials for Pakistan Railways told AP that the accident happened at about 4am local time (2300 UTC Tuesday) when an express train from Lahore bound for Karachi crashed into another train which had broke down earlier and was sitting at the station. Almost immediately after, a third train slammed into carriages derailed from the first crash. In total some 13 cars derailed. The incident is blamed on the driver of the Karachi train who reportedly misread a signal.

The line between Lahore and Karachi, the nation's biggest cities, is among the busiest in the country.

It is Pakistan's worst train accident since December 1989 when a crash near Sangi, about 35 miles (56 kilometres) from today's crash site, killed over 400 people.

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Sources

"Over 100 killed in Pakistan crash" — BBC News, July 13, 2005

"More Than 100 Die in Pakistan Train Crash" — AP, July 13, 2005

"Pakistan train crash leaves 150 dead, 1,000 injured" — AFP, July 13, 2005

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