Three killed, dozens hurt after Munich-Prague train collides

Gulf Today Report

Three people died and dozens more were injured on Wednesday when a Munich-to-Prague express train ran through a stop signal and collided with a local commuter train in the Czech Republic.

According to railway officials, helicopters took several passengers to hospitals from the crash site near the western Czech village of Milavce, the regional rescue service said. Fifty people suffered lighter injuries not requiring immediate treatment.

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Czech authorities said, the Munich-to-Prague train, number Ex 351 belonging to the German firm Die Laenderbahn, collided with a regional service between the Czech towns of Plzen and Domazlice.

A police spokeswoman said three people had been killed. She could not confirm local media reports that the dead included the drivers of the two trains and one passenger.

Rescue teams work at the accident site where two trains collided near the village of Milavce on Wednesday. AFP

"The Ex 351 went through a signal indicating Stop...and collided with a passenger train," Transport Minister Karel Havlicek said on Twitter, referring to the express train.

The trains collided shortly after 8am (0600 GMT) near Milavce, 140km (85 miles) southwest of the capital Prague.

According to footage shown on Czech public television, one part of the German train was completely mangled, though both vehicles remained upright.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis tweeted his "sincere condolences to the families of the dead. It is important to save other lives. Then everything must be investigated."

"Unfortunately, this summer is full of tragedies," he added.

Four helicopters, several ambulances and dozens of rescuers were dispatched to the site.