Russia: Three dead in train derailment in the far north

The 16-year-old girl was the last of three bodies found under overturned carriages, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. An unnamed woman told RIA Novosti that her husband, an energy worker from the northern city of Salekhard, was among the dead.

Ten people were hospitalized with injuries.

Komi Governor Vladimir Uiba filmed a video message in a forest area where he said there are no paved roads, so rescuers had to use a special fire engine to get to the scene.

Uiba said a 14-year-old girl who was travelling with her parents was in an “extremely serious” condition and had been evacuated by helicopter along with an injured man.

The train was on its way to Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, a journey that takes more than five days. There were 195 passengers and 20 staff on board, Uiba said.

Russian Railways, the state monopoly, said the probable cause of the accident was soil erosion caused by heavy rain. Russia, the largest country in the world, has an extensive rail network, which in some areas is the only form of public transport.

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