This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7151122.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan train crash kills dozens | Pakistan train crash kills dozens |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A crowded passenger train has derailed in southern Pakistan, killing at least 50 people and injuring up to 100. | A crowded passenger train has derailed in southern Pakistan, killing at least 50 people and injuring up to 100. |
| About 12 carriages of a train travelling between Karachi and Lahore came off the rails near the city of Mehrabpur in Sind province. | About 12 carriages of a train travelling between Karachi and Lahore came off the rails near the city of Mehrabpur in Sind province. |
| Some carriages plunged into water. The express train was packed with passengers returning home for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha. | Some carriages plunged into water. The express train was packed with passengers returning home for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha. |
| Hundreds of people have died in recent years in crashes on Pakistani railways. | Hundreds of people have died in recent years in crashes on Pakistani railways. |
| Wednesday's crash happened shortly after 0200 (2100 GMT). Hours after the incident, many victims were still trapped. | Wednesday's crash happened shortly after 0200 (2100 GMT). Hours after the incident, many victims were still trapped. |
| 'Painful scene' | 'Painful scene' |
| Rescue workers are struggling with large numbers of casualties in the dark and cold and did not have equipment to cut open the carriages, officials said. | Rescue workers are struggling with large numbers of casualties in the dark and cold and did not have equipment to cut open the carriages, officials said. |
| Many locals turned out to help, carrying the injured away on rickshaws, motor-scooters and donkey carts. | Many locals turned out to help, carrying the injured away on rickshaws, motor-scooters and donkey carts. |
| "It's a very painful scene," local officer Ghulam Qadir told the AFP news agency. | |
| "People are trapped in the wreckage and there are cries for help. Policemen pulling out the dead and injured are drenched in blood." | "People are trapped in the wreckage and there are cries for help. Policemen pulling out the dead and injured are drenched in blood." |
| Khalid Amin, a senior railway official, told the Associated Press news agency that two relief trains had been dispatched to pick up survivors. | Khalid Amin, a senior railway official, told the Associated Press news agency that two relief trains had been dispatched to pick up survivors. |
| The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. An investigation is under way. | The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. An investigation is under way. |
| Correspondents say casualty figures are often so high because trains are packed with far greater numbers than for which they were designed. | Correspondents say casualty figures are often so high because trains are packed with far greater numbers than for which they were designed. |
| Pakistan has a history of deadly accidents on its ageing railway system. | Pakistan has a history of deadly accidents on its ageing railway system. |
| Signalling faults and poorly maintained tracks are often the cause of the accidents. | Signalling faults and poorly maintained tracks are often the cause of the accidents. |
| More than 130 people were killed when three trains collided near the southern town of Ghotki in July 2005 in the country's worst train disaster for 15 years. | More than 130 people were killed when three trains collided near the southern town of Ghotki in July 2005 in the country's worst train disaster for 15 years. |