Prague, June 06, 2024, The Europe Today: Tragedy struck late Wednesday night when a passenger train collided head-on with a freight train in the city of Pardubice, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and leaving more than two dozen injured, according to Martin Netolický, governor of the Pardubice region.
The collision occurred shortly before 23:00 (2100 GMT) near the main train station in Pardubice, approximately 100 kilometers east of Prague. The passenger train, operated by RegioJet, was on an overnight journey from Prague to Kosice in eastern Slovakia, as reported by the Railway Administration.
“Firefighters, paramedics, and doctors, along with at least one rescue helicopter, have been deployed to the scene of the accident,” stated Governor Netolický in a Facebook post.
Among the emergency responders were Fire Rescue Services, who confirmed that over 300 passengers were on board the train at the time of the collision. Czech TV reported that many of the passengers were foreigners, and footage showed at least one carriage derailed following the impact.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala extended his “sincere condolences to all the bereaved” via a post on social media platform X. Interior and Transport Ministers announced their intentions to visit the accident site to oversee the situation and the ongoing investigation.
Transport Minister Martin Kupka informed the public that a significant track between Prague and the eastern part of the country has been shut down as authorities probe the cause of the accident. In the meantime, affected passengers are being transported via buses from the Pardubice main station.
This tragic incident has deeply shocked the nation and prompted a thorough investigation to prevent such occurrences in the future. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
