Five killed in train crash near Jakarta, Indonesia

Rescue Efforts Continue After Deadly Train Crash in Indonesia

At least five people have been killed and dozens injured in a collision involving two trains near the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The crash occurred late on Monday night at Bekasi city’s rail station, where a commuter line train collided with a long-distance train.

According to Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), rescue efforts are ongoing to remove people trapped in the wreckage. As of early Tuesday morning, four people were reported to be still trapped alive in the wreckage.

Syafii stated that the evacuation process is ongoing, and the exact number of victims has not been determined yet. The rescue efforts have been complicated by limited space and severe damage to the train carriages. Emergency workers are working slowly to cut away wreckage and free those trapped inside the mangled carriages.

Rescuers were seen using angle grinders to cut through the metal framework of train compartments to free passengers. The trains involved in the accident were identified as the Jakarta to Cikarang commuter train and the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train, which is Indonesia’s premier high-speed train service between Jakarta and Surabaya.

The incident has occurred on a rail network that has experienced several accidents in recent years. In 2010, a train from Jakarta collided with another train at a station in Central Java province, killing 36 people. In 2015, a passenger train hit a minibus at an unguarded crossing in West Java, killing 18 people.

Source: Al Jazeera