A passenger train collided head-on with a freight train in the Czech Republic, resulting in the deaths of at least four people and injuring 27 others, officials reported on Thursday.
The collision occurred late Wednesday night in Pardubice, approximately 100 kilometres east of Prague, according to Interior Minister Vít Rakušan. The high-speed passenger train was operated by the private company RegioJet.
Rakušan stated that none of the injuries were life-threatening. Rescuers noted that the train, en route to Kosice in eastern Slovakia and then to Chop in Ukraine, had 380 passengers on board.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed that two Ukrainian women were among those killed in the crash and mentioned that a consulate official from Brno was at the scene, maintaining contact with rescue and law enforcement agencies.
The local CTK news agency reported that both train drivers survived. Transport Minister Martin Kupka announced that the main rail line between Prague and the eastern region had to be closed for investigations, partially reopening nine hours later.
Czech Railways advised passengers to avoid the route for the entire day, emphasizing the importance of the Pardubice corridor for their operations.
Martin Drápal, a spokesperson for the state agency investigating the crash, said the passenger train driver failed to stop at a signal.
It was not immediately clear whether the failure was due to human error or a technical issue.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, describing the incident as a significant tragedy.
RegioJet owner Radim Jančura also extended his condolences and assured that the company was prepared to compensate the passengers.
