Four dead, 27 injured in collision of passenger, freight trains in Pardubice

UPDATED (June 6, 12:24 p.m.): Two Ukrainians are among four victims of the collision in East Bohemia, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said today, adding that a representative of the Ukrainian consulate in Brno is at the scene. The nationality of the other two victims is being determined. Thirty-four people suffered minor injuries in what is being called the most tragic train collision in Czechia in nearly 30 years.

Pardubice, East Bohemia, June 6 (CTK) – Four people are dead after a passenger express train and a freight train collided in Pardubice on Wednesday night, according to the regional rescuers’ spokeswoman Alena Kisiala.

"At this time we can confirm that there are four persons who had injuries that were incompatible with life," Kisiala told Czech Television.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan confirmed the incident and said that 20 people suffered light injuries and three serious injuries in the crash. The injury toll has now risen to 27 as of Thursday morning.

"The collision of two trains in Pardubice is a great misfortune. We are all thinking of the victims and the injured. I express my sincere condolences to all the bereaved," Prime Minister Petr Fiala wrote on social media.

Transport Minister Martin Kupka said the collision is being investigated by the Railway Inspectorate, and it is not yet possible to speculate on the causes of the accident.

"The collision is being investigated by the Railway Inspectorate and it is not yet possible to speculate on the causes of the accident," Kupka said.

The RegioJet express train, heading to Slovakia, collided head-on with a freight train near the new station Pardubice-Centre shortly before 11 p.m.

Vendula Horáková, spokeswoman for the Pardubice firefighters, said more than 300 people were traveling on the RegioJet train. Firefighters managed to identify all the passengers and no one is missing. They got them out of the train and those who were not injured were evacuated to buses.

The accident interrupted traffic on the corridor line to Moravia. According to the Czech Railways, trains will not operate in this corridor for a longer time and they will not even divert to other lines.

Police spokeswoman Markéta Janovská said it is not possible to say at this time whether foreigners are among the victims. "It's too early for that," she told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) around 2 a.m.

The drivers of the crashed trains survived the accident, said Martin Kavka, spokesman for the firefighters of the Railway Administration. He said that one was not injured and the other was moved to the hospital, but his injury did not seem serious.

According to the released pictures and videos, the first car behind the locomotive of the RegioJet express train derailed and partially overturned, and the first car of the freight train damaged its locomotive.

Total damage is estimated at CZK 110 million.

"We are very sorry. We deeply apologise to the injured and to everyone who was affected by the accident in any way. We are ready to provide them with maximum support and compensation. We will do everything possible to properly investigate the incident and take appropriate measures in the aftermath," said Radim Jančura owner of RegioJet, this morning.

This is a developing story.