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At least 25 people were killed and around 80 injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday, police said. The accident occurred in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometres northeast of Bangkok.
The train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani and was carrying 195 passengers when the crane fell onto three carriages, causing the train to derail and briefly catch fire. Most of the fatalities were reported in two of the impacted carriages.
The crane was part of an elevated high-speed rail project being built above the existing railway line. Rescue teams continued searching the wreckage for additional victims, while injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered a full investigation into the incident. China’s Foreign Ministry said it was monitoring the situation closely, noting that the project section involved was reportedly under construction by a Thai company. The high-speed rail line is planned to connect Thailand with China via Laos and is expected to be completed by 2030.
