At least 4 dead and 23 injured in train collision in Czech Republic

PRAGUE (AP) — A passenger train collided head-on with a freight train in the Czech Republic, killing at least four people and injuring 23 others, officials said early Thursday.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said the accident occurred late Wednesday evening in the city of Pardubice, about 100 kilometers east of Prague. The high-speed train belonged to the private company RegioJet.

Rakušan said none of the injured were in critical condition.

Transport Minister Martin Kupka said the main route between Prague and the east of the country would have to be closed while authorities investigated the collision.

“We cannot and do not want to speculate about the cause of the accident,” said Kupka.

The state-owned railway company Czech Railways announced that the line would probably remain closed all day “due to the extent of the accident”.

Rescue workers said there were more than 300 passengers on board the high-speed train, which was heading to the eastern Slovakian city of Kosice.

The identities of the dead could not be determined at first. The drivers of both locomotives survived, reported the local news agency CTK.

The corridor in Pardubice where the trains collided is vital for Czech Railways, which said the line would likely remain closed tomorrow.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala described the crash as a great tragedy and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.