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Germany train crash: Several killed near Bavarian town of Bad Aibling | Germany train crash: Several killed near Bavarian town of Bad Aibling |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least nine people were killed and scores more injured, police say, after two passenger trains collided in the German state of Bavaria. | At least nine people were killed and scores more injured, police say, after two passenger trains collided in the German state of Bavaria. |
The head-on crash happened near Bad Aibling, a spa town about 60km (37 miles) south-east of Munich. | The head-on crash happened near Bad Aibling, a spa town about 60km (37 miles) south-east of Munich. |
The trains' operator said both trains had partially derailed and were wedged into each other. | The trains' operator said both trains had partially derailed and were wedged into each other. |
Emergency teams, some winched in by helicopter, worked for hours to free casualties from the wreckage. | Emergency teams, some winched in by helicopter, worked for hours to free casualties from the wreckage. |
Follow all latest updates here | Follow all latest updates here |
In focus: Bavaria's railways | |
Regional police said in a tweet (in German) that nine people had been killed and 100 injured, 50 of them seriously. | |
The drivers of both trains and two train guards were among those killed, regional broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk said, quoting police. | The drivers of both trains and two train guards were among those killed, regional broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk said, quoting police. |
The cause of the collision is not yet known. | |
Are you in the area? Let us know about your experiences but please do not endanger yourself. See bottom of the story for details on how to contact us. | Are you in the area? Let us know about your experiences but please do not endanger yourself. See bottom of the story for details on how to contact us. |
German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who visited the scene, said it was a "horrifying sight". | |
"The drivers' cabs of both trains are wedged into each other. One side of one train is completely torn open," he told a news conference. | |
"The other train bored into it. Obviously both trains crashed into each other at high velocity. We suspect that both trains were travelling at around 100km/h (62mph)". | |
He added: "The site is on a bend so we have to surmise that both train drivers had no visual contact before the crash and therefore crashed into each other largely without braking." | |
Mr Dobrindt said the stretch of line had an automatic braking system designed to halt any train that passed a stop signal. Two of the three data recorders - "black boxes" - on board the trains have already been recovered, he said. | |
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told the same conference it was "difficult to comprehend" how such a crash could happen given the amount of investment in railway safety following previous train accidents. | |
Regional train company Meridian said in a statement that "a tragic accident" had occurred on a single-track route between Rosenheim and Holzkirchen at about 07:00 local time (06:00 GMT). | Regional train company Meridian said in a statement that "a tragic accident" had occurred on a single-track route between Rosenheim and Holzkirchen at about 07:00 local time (06:00 GMT). |
Bernd Rosenbach, managing director of Bayerische Oberlandbahn, which operates Meridian trains, told reporters: "The accident is a huge shock for us. We are doing everything we can to help the travellers, relatives and workers." | Bernd Rosenbach, managing director of Bayerische Oberlandbahn, which operates Meridian trains, told reporters: "The accident is a huge shock for us. We are doing everything we can to help the travellers, relatives and workers." |
Technical manager Fabian Amini added: "Our thanks go to the emergency services and workers who gave their help so quickly." | Technical manager Fabian Amini added: "Our thanks go to the emergency services and workers who gave their help so quickly." |
Other fatal German train crashes | Other fatal German train crashes |
The scene of the crash is close to the Mangfall river in a hilly and densely wooded region. Casualties were being evacuated by boat and by helicopter. | The scene of the crash is close to the Mangfall river in a hilly and densely wooded region. Casualties were being evacuated by boat and by helicopter. |
Several hundred emergency services personnel were at the scene. Rescue teams from nearby Austria were also helping, local media said. | |
By midday, police said all casualties had been removed from the wreckage. | By midday, police said all casualties had been removed from the wreckage. |
The Munich blood bank issued an appeal for blood donors on its Facebook page (in German). | The Munich blood bank issued an appeal for blood donors on its Facebook page (in German). |
Although the trains were carrying commuters, local carnival holidays meant no schoolchildren were on board, according to reports. | Although the trains were carrying commuters, local carnival holidays meant no schoolchildren were on board, according to reports. |
Roads around the scene have been closed and the railway line between Holzkirchen and Rosenheim is blocked. | Roads around the scene have been closed and the railway line between Holzkirchen and Rosenheim is blocked. |
Are you in the area? Let us know about your experiences but please do not endanger yourself. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Are you in the area? Let us know about your experiences but please do not endanger yourself. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |