On the way from Los Angeles to Chicago, a long-distance train derails - and several wagons tip over. The police report deaths and injuries. The train is said to have collided with a truck.
At least three people died and dozens more were injured when a long-distance train with more than 200 people on board derailed in the United States. The train, en route from Los Angeles to Chicago, collided with a truck at a railroad crossing in Missouri. Eight wagons and two locomotives derailed, as the operating company Amtrak explained.
The state police said on Twitter that the fatalities were two passengers and the driver of the truck. All injured and uninjured passengers have now been transported from the scene of the accident. The exact number of the injured initially remained unclear.
Local media spoke of "dozens injured". According to reports, several rescue helicopters were used for the recovery. According to Amtrak, there were 243 passengers and 12 crew members on the train. According to the police, however, there were 207 people on board.
The accident happened at a level crossing in Mendon, a place about 150 kilometers northeast of Kansas City. The first photos and videos on social media showed wagons tipped on their side next to the tracks. Some of the passengers who were able to free themselves were sitting on the overturned wagons.
Just the day before, another Amtrak train in the state of California collided with a vehicle at a level crossing. There were three dead in the accident.
