A crane collapse at a China-backed high-speed rail construction site in Thailand derailed a passenger train, killing 22 people and injuring over 30.
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeast Thailand on Wednesday, causing a deadly derailment.
Local police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong confirmed at least 22 people were killed and more than 30 injured in the incident.
The accident occurred around 9:00 am when the crane, being used to build a high-speed rail network, fell onto the train.
“A crane collapsed onto a train causing it to derail and catch fire,” the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial public relations department stated.
Live footage showed rescue workers at the scene with a derailed train on its side and smoke billowing from the debris.
The train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province with 195 people on board.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said authorities were rushing to identify the deceased.
The crane was part of a $5.4 billion project to build a high-speed rail network backed by Beijing.
The project aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 as part of China’s Belt and Road initiative.
