- Shocking images from the scene show a carriage suspended in the air.
- A cargo train collided with a Kanchanjunga Express passenger train on Monday.
- Rescue teams are working at the site in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.
At least eight people were killed and dozens more injured after two trains crashed into each other in India, jamming the carriages vertically in the air.
Shocking images from the scene show a carriage suspended in the air as worried onlookers gather nearby after the tragic train crash.
A freight train collided with the rear of a passenger train in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Monday, and rescue efforts are underway.
The accident occurred after the goods train missed a signal before crashing into the rear of the Kanchanjunga Express, railway authorities told local media.
State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a post on the foothills of the Himalayas.
At least eight people were killed and dozens more injured after two trains collided with each other in India
Shocking images show carriages suspended in the air after the tragic train crash
A crowd of concerned onlookers gathered and rescue teams are already searching the accident site.
The West Bengal Chief Minister said: “I am shocked to learn just now about a tragic train accident in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district.
“Doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the scene for rescue, recovery and medical assistance. Actions have been initiated on a war footing.”
Sabyasachi De, spokesperson for the Northeast Frontier Railway, said three of the eight dead were railway workers.
At least 25 people were injured in the collision, which occurred near New Jalpaiguri station, and were taken to a nearby hospital.
He told ANI: “These are non-fatal injuries. The rescue operation is on a war footing.
“We are trying to complete the rescue operation as soon as possible. Senior officials have already reached the spot.
“According to preliminary information, Kanchenjunga was hit from behind by a goods train… We have information of 8 deaths.”
According to De, four compartments at the rear of the passenger train came off the rails due to the impact, most of which were carrying cargo and one was a passenger car.
Television channels showed images of one train crashing into another, with one compartment rising vertically into the air.
A freight train is known to have collided with a passenger train in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Monday after running over a signal.
Television channels showed images of one train crashing into another, with one compartment rising vertically into the air.
Swarms of people gathered at the scene, where rescuers searched for the crash site.
The Kanchanjunga Express is a daily train that connects the state of West Bengal with other northeastern cities.
It is often used by tourists traveling to the hill station of Darjeeling, popular at this time of year when several Indian cities are stiflingly hot.
More than 12 million people travel daily on 14,000 trains across India, covering 64,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) of track.
Despite the government’s efforts to improve railway safety, several hundred accidents occur on Indian railways every year. Most are attributed to human error or outdated signaling equipment.
In June last year, a massive train crash in eastern India killed more than 280 people in one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in decades.
At least 25 people were injured in the collision, which occurred near New Jalpaiguri station.
