Train Crash in Russia's Murmansk Region Leaves Two Dead
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Moscow, Dec 19 (NationPress) A tragic incident occurred in the Murmansk region of northwestern Russia, where a collision between a passenger train and a freight train has resulted in two fatalities, as announced by Governor Andrei Chibis on Thursday via his Telegram channel. The latest reports indicate that 27 individuals have been injured.
One of the passengers succumbed to injuries in the hospital, while the other died during transport to medical care, Chibis stated in a video message.
The accident took place at approximately 4:15 PM local time (1315 GMT) on Wednesday when the passenger train, traveling from Murmansk to Saint Petersburg, collided with freight train wagons at Knyazhaya station.
At the time of the incident, the passenger train was carrying 326 individuals, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
Initial assessments suggested that at least 10 people were injured, but updated figures reveal that 27 individuals, including five children, have suffered injuries.
"The top priority is providing medical assistance to all those injured. Doctors are currently fighting to save the lives of several passengers," Chibis stated.
Additionally, it has been reported by Russia's Tass news agency that the condition of 10 injured individuals, including three children, remains serious.
"According to operational data, 14 victims of the railway accident, including three children, are being treated in hospitals in the Murmansk region. Doctors assess the condition of 10 patients, including three children, as serious. Unfortunately, two victims have died," said Alexei Kuznetsov, the Russian Minister of Health.
Kuznetsov further noted that four individuals are in moderate condition. "11 people, including two children, received outpatient medical care. The victims are receiving all necessary care in full," stated an assistant to the minister.
Meanwhile, Russian Railways (RZD) is actively working to restore train services through Knyazhaya station following the collision.
"Despite the polar night conditions and temperatures dropping to minus 24 degrees, we continue efforts to restore train traffic through Knyazhaya station. We have cleared damaged passenger and freight train cars from the tracks and have started repairing the affected infrastructure," authorities announced in a statement.
Russian Railways also reported that wagons filled with crushed stone and a crane-laying machine with a new track grid and switches have arrived at the station. Once track restoration is complete, they will proceed to install the contact network.
"There are four recovery trains, 271 personnel, and four units of heavy machinery working on-site. We are doing everything possible to resume traffic on one track within the next few hours," Tass quoted the holding company as stating.
