The death toll from a devastating train crash in India has risen to at least 288 people, with 900 more injured, as officials have halted the search for survivors.
The crash occurred Friday, June 2 and was the most devastating train crash in over 20 years in the country.
Rescuers made frantic efforts to navigate through the twisted wreckage, using cutting torches to open doors and windows in the hope of finding any signs of life.
The collision involved two passenger trains and a stationary freight train in Odisha, a state in eastern India. Scores of bodies lay near the tracks, covered with white sheets, while locals and rescuers worked tirelessly to free those trapped inside the mangled rail cars.
The rescue operation involved numerous agencies, including the army, air force helicopters, fire department personnel, police officers, and National Disaster Response Force teams, but eventually, it was called off. Debris removal commenced to restore rail traffic.
The tragedy occurred when the high-speed Coromandel Express slammed into a stationary freight train at the Bahanaga Bazar station. The passenger train was not scheduled to stop at the station and was traveling at full speed, resulting in its derailment. Twenty-one coaches veered off the track, three landing on another track.
Simultaneously, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Express, traveling in the opposite direction, collided with the dislocated coaches, causing two more coaches to derail.
An investigation revealed that the crash was likely due to an error in the electronic signaling system. Officials are yet to determine if the error was of human or technical origin. Although the system is highly reliable, a small chance of error exists. The electronic interlocking system, responsible for preventing conflicting movements between trains, malfunctioned, and it remains unclear why the freight train was stationary or why the Coromandel Express was not alerted to its presence on the tracks.
The accident occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to modernize India’s railway network, although concerns have been raised regarding safety and the upgrade of aging infrastructure. India’s railways face numerous accidents yearly due to deteriorating infrastructure, despite being the world’s largest train network managed under one entity.
