At least 32 people have been killed after a construction crane fell onto a moving passenger train in north-eastern Thailand, causing it to derail and catch fire. The accident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometers north-east of Bangkok.
The crane, which was being used to build an elevated high-speed railway, struck the train as it traveled from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. The Thai health ministry reported 64 people were taken to hospital, seven in serious condition. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were 195 passengers on board and ordered a thorough investigation.
Survivor Taew Eimertenbrink, 63, told reporters from a hospital bed that her German husband was killed instantly when a metal bar fell on him. The couple was visiting from Germany and traveling to her hometown in Surin province. Local resident Mitr Intrpanya described hearing a loud noise followed by two explosions around 9 am, and found the crane sitting on three carriages, with the metal slicing the second carriage in half.
Rescuers searched the twisted metal carriages with sniffer dogs for remaining victims. The construction company Italian-Thai Development expressed condolences and promised compensation for victims' families and medical expenses. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, visiting the scene, said it was clearly the fault of the construction company and that the cause must be determined as a lesson.
Thailand's state rail operator ordered Italian-Thai to halt construction until an investigation is completed. The accident occurred at a site of a high-speed rail project backed by China, part of a $5 billion network aiming to connect Bangkok to Kunming via Laos by 2028 under Beijing's Belt and Road initiative.
