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South Africa commuter trains collide near Pretoria | South Africa commuter trains collide near Pretoria |
(35 minutes later) | |
At least 300 people, including many schoolchildren, have been injured after two passenger trains collided near the South African capital, Pretoria, officials say. | |
Medical workers say 28 people were seriously hurt. | |
The theft of cables used for signalling, compounded by human error, caused the crash, said the head of South Africa's rail authority. | |
South Africa is in the process of overhauling of its ageing rail network. | South Africa is in the process of overhauling of its ageing rail network. |
The early morning accident happened when a train crashed into a stationary train near Attridgeville, a township west of Pretoria. | The early morning accident happened when a train crashed into a stationary train near Attridgeville, a township west of Pretoria. |
"Both of the trains were full of commuters and between them were lots of schoolchildren on the way to school," a spokesman for the regional emergency services told the AFP news agency. | |
A helicopter has airlifted one of the train drivers to a nearby hospital after he was trapped in the wreckage for two hours. | A helicopter has airlifted one of the train drivers to a nearby hospital after he was trapped in the wreckage for two hours. |
"When cables are stolen, it affects our signalling system we then move to what we call manual operations," said rail authority head Mosenngwa Mofi. | |
In 2011, at least 800 people were injured when a speeding train hit a stationary one near the township of Soweto. | In 2011, at least 800 people were injured when a speeding train hit a stationary one near the township of Soweto. |