Camilla Jessen
Crane collapse kills 22 in Thailand train disaster.
At least 22 people were killed and more than 30 others injured on Wednesday after a crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeastern Thailand, causing the train to derail, according to authorities cited by the BBC and AFP.
Deadly derailment
The train was traveling from Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, to Ubon Ratchathani province when the accident occurred in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometers (143 miles) northeast of Bangkok.
Thai Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were 195 passengers on board at the time of the crash.
Police officer Thatchapon Chinnawong confirmed that at least 22 people lost their lives and more than 30 were injured, including a one-year-old child.
Several of the injured are reported to be in serious condition.
The incident happened at around 9:00 a.m. local time, when a crane being used in the construction of a high-speed railway line toppled over and struck the passenger train as it passed beneath.
Two of the three carriages hit by the crane sustained catastrophic damage, and most of the fatalities occurred in those cars, the transport minister said.
Rescue and response
Footage broadcast by local media showed scenes of devastation, with rescue teams rushing to an overturned train lying on its side as smoke rose from the wreckage. Emergency crews worked for hours to free trapped passengers and transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
Minister Ratchakitprakarn said he had ordered a full investigation into the cause of the collapse, including whether safety regulations were properly followed at the construction site.
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High-speed project
The crane was part of a major infrastructure project to build a high-speed rail network in Thailand, backed by China under its “New Silk Roads” (Belt and Road Initiative) policy.
The project, valued at approximately $5.4 billion, aims to connect Bangkok with Kunming in southern China via Laos by 2028.
Industrial, construction and transport-related accidents remain relatively common in Thailand, often linked to weak enforcement of safety standards. In a previous incident in 2020, 18 people were killed when a freight train collided with a bus carrying passengers to a religious ceremony.
Authorities said rescue operations and the investigation are ongoing, and more details are expected in the coming days.
Sources: BBC, AFP, Digi24
