Collision between train and minibus leaves six dead in Turkey

CCTV footage appears to show bus carrying factory workers ignore lowered barrier

Six people are dead after a freight train collided into a minibus in northwest Turkey on Saturday morning, leaving seven others injured.

The crash, which occurred at 8am local time (5am GMT) on a railroad crossing in Ergene, Tekirdag province, involved a bus carrying textile factory workers returning from a night shift and a train headed to nearby Cerkezkoy, according to Turkish news agency Demiroren.

All those killed were reportedly travelling in the minibus, which was caught on CCTV being dragged in front of the train after the impact.

Local media aired the footage and published images showing the crumpled vehicle lying on its roof alongside the train tracks.

In the dramatic two-minute clip, the minibus can be seen manoeuvring around what looks like a lowered barrier as cars queue behind one in the opposite direction.

Seconds after the collision, people from the waiting cars can be seen rushing towards the minibus.

Multiple ambulances, police cars and fire trucks quickly arrived at the scene after the incident was called in by members of the public, Demiroren reports.

The seven injured minibus riders were taken to and treated at various hospitals in Corlu and Cerkezkoy districts.

It was quickly announced by officials that a detailed investigation into the incident would take place.

In 2018, 25 people died when a passenger train derailed in nearby Corlu. That accident was blamed on heavy rain causing an embankment to collapse.

Last year, Turkey’s Chamber of Mechanical Engineers said railway accidents in the country were three times the global average, while labour unions warned that cost-cutting has led to safety issues.

Following the crash on Saturday morning, the government-owned State Railways of the Republic of Turkey (TCDD) released a statement detailing what had happened.

“After the accident caused by the minibus that tried to cross the closed level crossing in Corlu Validemese, according to the first determinations, six of our citizens died and seven of were injured,” it read.

“The level crossing where the incident took place had a level crossing barrier, flashing, protected, and although the barriers were closed to pedestrians and vehicles at the time of the incident, the worker service van with license plate ADJ 755 passed through the level crossing, an undesirable accident occurred.”

The national railway company added that the prosecutor’s office was launching an investigation into the incident.

“May God have mercy on our citizens who passed away due to this tragic accident, and we wish a quick recovery to the injured,” TCDD added.