Monday, June 12, 2006

A train carrying 200 people has crashed into a pick-up truck in Netanya, Israel. At least 75 people are injured and at least five have died. Police say that the truck was pushed onto the tracks by another car when the train smashed into it. The driver was not injured.

“A train travelling from Tel Aviv to Haifa struck a truck at … a junction. As a result of the impact, the first three carriages of the train were derailed. We are dealing with a large number of casualties,” said a spokesman for the Israeli Police.

Witnesses say that the driver of the truck managed to escape before the train hit the vehicle “crushing” it in the process.

“I’m not sure why (the truck) got stuck, but its two front wheels got caught. The driver got out before the crossing gate came down. … The train just continued steaming ahead with the truck, and the truck was crushed,” said Miri, a witness on the scene.

The train was traveling from Tel Aviv to Haifa.