Eight people have died, and around 60 have been injured in a train crash in West Bengal, India.
The accident happened on Monday morning when a goods train collided with the stationary Kanchenjungha Express in the New Jalpaiguri area.
Dramatic visuals from the scene showed one of the express train’s wagons suspended in the air.
Authorities suggest that “human error” might have caused the crash, and a detailed investigation will be conducted.
Ambulances and disaster teams were dispatched to the site for rescue efforts shortly after the accident at 08:55 local time (03:25 GMT).
State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the incident and stated that action was being taken on a “war footing.”
The deceased include the driver and assistant driver of the goods train and the guard of the Kanchenjungha Express.
“Rescue operations have been completed,” Jaya Varma Sinha, CEO of the Railway Board, told a press conference.
The injured are being treated at a medical college in Siliguri city, with a focus on providing the best medical aid possible, according to authorities.
Railway official Sabyasachi De stated that initial reports indicate the Kanchenjungha Express was hit from the rear by a goods train, though the exact cause will be confirmed after a thorough investigation.
Ms. Sinha suggested human error as the likely cause, noting that the goods train driver appeared to have ignored the signal. She emphasized the need to plan and expand Kavach, an automatic train protection system developed by the Indian Railways, in West Bengal.
A police official reported that the goods train’s engine was damaged and three coaches of the express train were derailed. A rescue official told the Times of India that they avoided using gas cutters during the relief efforts to protect those trapped in the train. Heavy rain also slowed rescue efforts.
Federal Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said relief teams worked closely with railway officials during the rescue operations and announced that he was traveling to the accident site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the incident and said he had spoken with officials about the rescue efforts.
“Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest,” he wrote on X.
He announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,394, £1,890) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for each of the injured passengers.
The railways have established a control desk with a helpline number at Rangapani station, near the site of the collision.
Last year, a devastating crash involving three trains in the eastern state of Odisha resulted in the deaths of around 290 people and left more than 1,000 injured.