The individuals are Kokou Koudjo, a 34-year-old welder, Patrick Kwaku Sosu, a 52-year-old laborer, Alaza Prosper, a 28-year-old laborer, and Fiadugbe Emmanuel, a 31-year-old laborer.
They have been charged with “abetment of unlawful damage” for allegedly aiding Abel Adzidotor, the driver of the truck that caused damage to a Diesel Multiple Unit train.
During the court proceedings presided over by Justice Mrs. Lydia Osei-Marfo, the accused persons were not required to enter a plea. They were remanded into police custody pending further investigations.
The prosecution, led by Christabel Selma Anafure, Assistant State Attorney, requested the court to remand the accused persons into police custody due to ongoing investigations.
The court granted the prosecution’s request and asked the accused persons to secure legal representation by the next adjourned date.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons were on board a Hyundai Gold Truck on April 18, 2024, driven by Abel Adzidotor.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Koudjo purchased blocks from a block factory at Juapong and transported them to Abortia using the underpass of the railway lines. After unloading the blocks, they attempted to cross the railway lines with the vehicle to avoid the underpass.
However, the truck still got stuck on the railway line, and “the accused persons tilted the head of the truck and left the scene without providing any warning for trains plying the tracks.”
According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that there was no access route across the railway tracks connecting the Juapong road.
Even if the truck had managed to cross the railway, a large gutter on the west side of the railway lines would have blocked the accused persons from connecting to the Akuse-Juapong road.
The court heard that on the same day, the management of the Ghana Railway Corporation, led by the complainant and 28 engineers from Ghana and Poland, conducted a test run of the new Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Train from Tema to Mpakadan.
“This test run had been announced ahead of time. When the train got to the Abortia area, it rammed into the Hyundai Gold Truck, which was stuck across the railway lines.
“Both the train and truck got damaged. The train was sent to Tema for examination while the scrap of the vehicle, which was damaged beyond repairs, was taken to the Juapong Police Station for further action,” the prosecution said.
The prosecution stated that the accused persons were aware that the railway lines were not accessible to motor vehicles but still decided to use them as a shortcut. They placed stones on the railway lines to create a path for the truck to cross over.
A court in Turkiye has given nine rail officials more than 108 years in prison for a crash that happened six years ago. The crash killed 25 people. This was reported by local media on Thursday.
In July 2018, a train in Turkey derailed near Corlu district, which is 110 kilometers west of Istanbul.
The train was going from Unlukopru, close to the Greek border, to Istanbul’s Halkali station, which is Turkey’s main train route to Europe. Seven kids died and over 300 people were hurt.
A report from an expert submitted to Corlu 1st High Criminal Court stated that heavy rain caused a rail embankment to collapse. The report also found that the railways operator was to blame for not preparing for bad weather. The ground next to a drain fell down, causing six train cars to tip over.
Pictures taken after the crash did not show any support under a part of the rail over the culvert.
The news agency Anadolu reported that the manager of Turkish Railways was sent to jail for 17 and a half years, which is the longest sentence. The deputy rail maintenance manager was given a sentence of eight years and four months.
The families of the people who were hurt in the crash want more people to be held responsible. They want the bosses of the train company and the officials from the Transportation Ministry to be charged too.
Misra Oz, whose nine-year-old son died in the crash, has been the most well-known person speaking out about the families’ complaints. Three years ago, she had to pay a fine of $1,250 for “insulting public officials” relating to the disaster.
Speaking to a large group of people before the hearing, Oz said that the people who are truly responsible for the decisions that caused negligence are not here today. He called for an end to the policy of letting people get away with no punishment. Please rephrase the following statement: “Can you please provide a plain explanation for this topic. ” “Could you simplify this topic for me please. ”
The families of the victims said that the case will not be over until important officials are put on trial.
Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the main opposition party in Turkiye, went to the trial with other politicians.
“Maybe we are noticing that government officials are finally being punished, and that the idea of getting away with doing wrong things is starting to change,” he said after the judgment.
In the last few years, Turkiye has been trying to update its train system by making faster train lines between cities. But most people still like to travel by air or road. In 2004, a very fast train crashed in Sakarya, a province in the northwest of the country, and 41 people died. 80 people were also injured in the accident.
The Railways Development Minister, John Peter Amewu, has expressed displeasure with former President John Mahama over comments he made regarding the controversial accident involving Ghana’s new train.
The incident occurred during a test run when the train collided with a truck parked on a section of the rail line at Abortia in the Volta Region.
The 2024 Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, who took to social media platform X to comment on the accident, said, “How can you conduct a test run on a new railway line without a track inspection? How long had the vehicle been on the track before the test run? If I were President, I’ll be asking some serious questions,” John Mahama’s post stated.
Responding to Mr Mahama on Joy News PM Express on Monday, April 22, the Railways Development Minister said, “I totally disagree with his excellency John Dramani Mahama. I don’t blame him, this is not his field. These guys who did this test run are experts. These are 16 engineers who were brought from Poland. This is the 304th test they’ve conducted worldwide this year, I was told. And so I don’t know where his excellency John Mahama is coming from with this understanding that no inspection had been done.”
The Member of Parliament for Hohoe further explained that the inspection and test run were conducted by the Polish because it was part of the contract.
“As I clearly explained, they put in a system for inspection. Earlier on in the morning, they went around the whole line to see that there was no obstacle. 30 minutes before the takeoff of this DMU, the rail track, and the maintenance track were put ahead. So what is he [John Mahama] saying? I don’t think he understood the question he was asking.”
He added that there is no radar system to monitor the track except for the manual system of checking to see if the line was safe before the train moved – something that was done.
“So, this manual system that his excellency is talking about was conducted, so I don’t know what he’s talking about. The inspection was conducted on the same day. The engineers informed us that the rail track was 30 minutes ahead of the train. So when the incident happened, where did the rail track come from? It came from kilometre 97 back to the scene, kilometre 76 or so to do the recovery because they were ahead about the 30-minute difference. It is just a coincidence or an accident that I cannot explain,” he noted.
He stated that Mr. Mahama could have sought clarity about his standing in Ghanaian politics before joining the bandwagon of uninformed commentary on the incident.
“Did he [John Mahama] try to find out whether the inspection was done as a former president? He knows me well, he could just find out from me and they will tell him the truth. He has not established that fact and then he comes out with this kind of statement. His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, this is below the belt. I am sorry, I give you all the respect but I expect you to find out first. You’re not even an engineer. These are 16 qualified engineers brought from Poland.”
He explained that, according to the contract, Ghana had not assumed full ownership of the train at the time of the test run, even though the country had full ownership and responsibility for the state of the tracks.
He said the cost of repairs would not be borne by Ghana. “There was no transfer of ownership. Which means the supplier was still responsible for the train. We’ll get ownership when the government has made the full payment which we haven’t done yet. So Ghana is not going to bear the cost of repairing the train involved in the accident during the test ride.”
“The inspection and test run were not conducted by the Ghana government.”
Asked whether he suspected sabotage as some have suggested, Mr Amewu said he was not in the position to justify that.
“What I can say is that the motive of just parking along the rail is very uncultured and cannot be accepted in any modern civilization.
On how long the vehicle had been on the track before the test run as Mr Mahama had questioned, Mr Amewu said that was extremely difficult to determine under the circumstances.
The truck driver, Abel Dzidotor, has been sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to three of the four charges against him, including inconsiderate driving and causing unlawful damage.
Additionally, the police have arrested four more individuals for their alleged involvement in the accident.
Minister for Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, has revealed that an inspection was carried out on Thursday, April 18, on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line before a test run on the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train commenced.
He made this known while expressing displeasure with former President John Mahama over comments he made regarding the controversial accident involving Ghana’s new train.
The Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train collided with a parked Hyundai truck on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line during the test run.
The 2024 Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, who took to social media platform X to comment on the accident, said, “How can you conduct a test run on a new railway line without a track inspection? How long had the vehicle been on the track before the test run? If I were President, I’ll be asking some serious questions,” John Mahama’s post stated.
Responding to Mr Mahama on Joy News PM Express on Monday, April 22, the Railways Development Minister said “As I clearly explained, they put in a system for inspection. Earlier on in the morning, they went around the whole line to see that there was no obstacle. 30 minutes before the takeoff of this DMU, the rail track, and the maintenance track were put ahead. So what is he [John Mahama] saying? I don’t think he understood the question he was asking.”
He added, “I totally disagree with his excellency John Dramani Mahama. I don’t blame him, this is not his field. These guys who did this test run are experts. These are 16 engineers who were brought from Poland. This is the 304th test they’ve conducted worldwide this year, I was told. And so I don’t know where his excellency John Mahama is coming from with this understanding that no inspection had been done.”
The Member of Parliament for Hohoe further explained that the inspection and test run were conducted by the Polish because it was part of the contract.
He stated that Mr. Mahama could have sought clarity about his standing in Ghanaian politics before joining the bandwagon of uninformed commentary on the incident.
“Did he [John Mahama] try to find out whether the inspection was done as a former president? He knows me well, he could just find out from me and they will tell him the truth. He has not established that fact and then he comes out with this kind of statement. His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, this is below the belt. I am sorry, I give you all the respect but I expect you to find out first. You’re not even an engineer. These are 16 qualified engineers brought from Poland.”
He added that there is no radar system to monitor the track except for the manual system of checking to see if the line was safe before the train moved – something that was done.
“So, this manual system that his excellency is talking about was conducted, so I don’t know what he’s talking about. The inspection was conducted on the same day. The engineers informed us that the rail track was 30 minutes ahead of the train. So when the incident happened, where did the rail track come from? It came from kilometre 97 back to the scene, kilometre 76 or so to do the recovery because they were ahead about the 30-minute difference. It is just a coincidence or an accident that I cannot explain,” he noted.
He explained that, according to the contract, Ghana had not assumed full ownership of the train at the time of the test run, even though the country had full ownership and responsibility for the state of the tracks.
He said the cost of repairs would not be borne by Ghana. “There was no transfer of ownership. Which means the supplier was still responsible for the train. We’ll get ownership when the government has made the full payment which we haven’t done yet. So Ghana is not going to bear the cost of repairing the train involved in the accident during the test ride.”
“The inspection and test run were not conducted by the Ghana government.”
Asked whether he suspected sabotage as some have suggested, Mr Amewu said he was not in the position to justify that.
“What I can say is that the motive of just parking along the rail is very uncultured and cannot be accepted in any modern civilization.
On how long the vehicle had been on the track before the test run as Mr Mahama had questioned, Mr Amewu said that was extremely difficult to determine under the circumstances.
The truck driver, Abel Dzidotor, has been sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to three of the four charges against him, including inconsiderate driving and causing unlawful damage.
Additionally, the police have arrested four more individuals for their alleged involvement in the accident.
The owner of the Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018 – 20 that crashed with a new train from Poland during a test run has recounted how the unfortunate incident occurred.
The Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line crashed into the truck on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Engaging the media, the truck owner noted that his driver only opted to use the railway after facing challenges with the bridge after offloading cement blocks.
“The truck driver became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.”
“He was not able to use the same route when returning so he had to use another which is the railway. Midway he got stuck and tried to jerk the car so it can move quickly. So he was coming with the jerk and he heard that the train smash the car into pieces.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Servicehas apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck.
Chief Executive Officer for the Railways Development Authority, Yaw Owusu, has indicated that the government will not bear the cost incurred in the repair of the train involved in the accident.
In an interview on Thursday, Mr Owusu explained that “the train has not officially been handed over to the government yet. It is still under the liability of the manufacturer (from Poland).”
The breakdown of my truck on the rail line was a pure coincidence – Vehicle Owner explains circumstances surrounding train accident.#GHOneNews#GHOneTVpic.twitter.com/CziUV6Unou
A video purportedly showing one of the newly imported trains from Poland involved in an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line during a test run has emerged on social media.
The footage captures moments before the incident, showing the train moving at a relatively steady pace, not at its top speed.
The accident occurred after a driver reportedly abandoned a vehicle on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train on Thursday.
The video has sparked questions from netizens, who are wondering how the train driver failed to notice the ‘abandoned’ truck on the railway line before the collision.
The Ghana Police Servicehas apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 for his alleged role in the accident.
The truck driver reportedly became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.
Chief Executive Officer for the Railways Development Authority, Yaw Owusu, has indicated that the trains from Poland, of which one out of two got into an accident, are yet to be officially handed over to the government of Ghana.
He therefore noted that the government will not bear the cost incurred in the repair of the train involved in an accident during a test run on Thursday.
In an interview on Thursday, Mr Owusu said, “The train has not officially been handed over to the government yet. It is still under the liability of the manufacturer (from Poland).”
One of the newly imported trains from Poland got into an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line due to an abandoned truck, according to police reports.
The Ghana Police Servicehas apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 for his alleged role in the accident.
The truck driver reportedly became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.
Meanwhile, a video of one of the newly imported trains from Poland that got into an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line during its test run has surfaced on social media.
The footage captures moments before the unfortunate incident after a driver abandoned the vehicle on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train on Thursday.
In this video, the train moves at a relatively steady pace. It is not at top speed.
This video has got netizens questioning how the train driver could not view the ‘abandoned’ truck on the railway line before ramming into it.
“This couldn’t stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story?” a user wrote.
Some netizens are also requesting videos of the exact moment when the collision occurred if the test run was being recorded.
“Drones were working but we didn’t see the particular part of the collision. Eiii this country,” another user wrote.
This couldn't stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story? pic.twitter.com/60OgpLh9Lo
A video of one of the newly imported trains from Poland that got into an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line during its test run has surfaced on social media.
The footage captures moments before the unfortunate incident after a driver abandoned the vehicle on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train on Thursday.
In this video, the train moves at a relatively steady pace. It is not at top speed.
This video has got netizens questioning how the train driver could not view the ‘abandoned’ truck on the railway line before ramming into it.
“This couldn’t stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story?” a user wrote.
Some netizens are also requesting videos of the exact moment when the collision occurred if the test run was being recorded.
“Drones were working but we didn’t see the particular part of the collision. Eiii this country,” another user wrote.
This couldn't stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story? pic.twitter.com/60OgpLh9Lo
The Ghana Police Servicehas apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 for his alleged role in the accident.
The truck driver reportedly became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.
Chief Executive Officer for the Railways Development Authority, Yaw Owusu, has indicated that the government will not bear the cost incurred in the repair of the train involved in an accident during a test run on Thursday.
In an interview on Thursday, Mr Owusu explained that “The train has not officially been handed over to the government yet. It is still under the liability of the manufacturer (from Poland).”
One of the newly imported trains from Poland got into an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line due to an abandoned truck, according to police reports.
The Ghana Police Servicehas apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 for his alleged role in the accident.
The truck driver reportedly became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.
Meanwhile, a video of one of the newly imported trains from Poland that got into an accident on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line during its test run has surfaced on social media.
The footage captures moments before the unfortunate incident after a driver abandoned the vehicle on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train on Thursday.
In this video, the train moves at a relatively steady pace. It is not at top speed.
This video has got netizens questioning how the train driver could not view the ‘abandoned’ truck on the railway line before ramming into it.
“This couldn’t stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story?” a user wrote.
Some netizens are also requesting videos of the exact moment when the collision occurred if the test run was being recorded.
“Drones were working but we didn’t see the particular part of the collision. Eiii this country,” another user wrote.
This couldn't stop upon seeing a truck about 100m away? How can you tell me this story? pic.twitter.com/60OgpLh9Lo
Ghana Police Service apprehended the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 for his alleged role in an accident involving the newly imported train on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line.
The incident occurred during a test run of the train on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
According to the police statement, their initial investigation revealed that the driver had abandoned the vehicle on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train.
“Police investigation into the incident continues.”
The truck driver reportedly became stranded on the railway track while delivering cement blocks, as the vehicle was unable to pass through an underpass beneath the bridge.
A train recently procured by Ghana, which was intended to operate on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line after arriving from Poland, was involved in an accident during a test run in the Asuogyaman district.
In a statement dated Thursday, April 18, 2024, the Ministry of Railways Development clarified that the accident occurred around 12:10 pm on the same day.
According to the Ministry, the train encountered a stationary vehicle positioned directly across the rail track as it approached the curve at Km76+100.
“Despite the immediate application of the emergency braking system, the train was unable to come to a complete stop before colliding with the vehicle.”
The Ministry assured that no fatalities were recorded, as passengers, drivers, crew and bystanders are all safe.
“It is important to note that the vehicle was unmanned, and the location where it was found is not designated as an authorised level crossing. Thankfully, there were no injuries sustained by passengers on the train or bystanders. However, there was minor damage to the driver’s cab section of the train.”
It mentioned that the incident has been reported to the police and that investigations are currently underway.
“The incident has been promptly reported to the Police, and investigations are currently underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident. The DMU involved has been moved to the workshop for further assessment and necessary repairs.”
The Ministry assured the public of safety, stating that they are committed to ensuring the continued safe operation of the railway system.
“We assure the public thatsafety remains our utmost priority, and we are committed to ensuring the continued safe operation of our railway systems. We urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant and adhere to safety protocols when operating or crossing railway tracks.”
To enhance the railway transport system, the government obtained two modern diesel-powered trains from Poland.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the Minister of Railway Development, Peter Amewu, stated that engineers are presently repairing the damaged train.
“Engineers are currently working on it, the train has been brought back to the workshop. The KIA driver has reported himself to the police station. The good thing is that none of the passengers or crew on board got injured, we’re currently in the process of assessing the damage to the train. Technically, the train is still in good form, nothing in terms of the electrical system or engine have been disturbed. We’re hoping that the insurance company will work on it as quickly as possible to bring the train back on the line.”
He claimed that the test run was known to the locals.
According to sources, the state purchased 12 trains for the Ghana Railways Company, which is anticipated to run both long- and short-distance routes.
The Ghana Railway Development Authority refuted the reports, nevertheless.
Ghana’s Railways Development Minister, John Peter Amewu, has provided insights into an accident that involved one of the country’s newly acquired trains from Poland.
According to him, the train collided with a parked Kia truck on the railway during a test run.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported.
This incident occurred on the Tema-Mpakadan railway route, near kilometer 76 from Tema, around 12:15pm. The trains, recently assembled in Poland, are aimed at enhancing railway transportation in Ghana.
Scheduled to commence operations by May, but the accident prompted a closer examination of the trains’ readiness for public service.
“Today, unfortunately, around 12:15pm, the Ministry in collaboration with our foreign engineers and the Ghana Railway Development Authority conducted a test run from kilometer zero which is at the workshop in Tema towards kilometer 98 at Mpakadan.”
“On approaching kilometer 76, [there was] a Kia truckparked right across the rail line, you know, stationary. As the train approached, the driver tried to apply the static state to enable the train to halt. But because it was very close to the Kia truck, it was unable to and therefore run straight into it.”
Additionally, the Minister clarified that apart from damage to the front of the train, there were no other significant issues. He mentioned that engineers are presently engaged in repairing the train.
“The engineers are currently working on it. The train has been brought back to the workshop. The Kia driver himself has reported himself to the police station, but the conduct of the driver as of now cannot be well explained,” the Minister said.
“And the good thing is that all the passengers and the inspectors on board the train, none of them got injured and we are currently in the process of assessing the damage to the train. Technically, I would say the train is still in very good form. Nothing in terms of electrical or the engine has been affected, except the front that got slightly damaged.
“The Polish engineers who were assembling the train are in charge and expected to be handed over to government. The government had not yet taken complete ownership of the train. So we are hoping that the insurance company will work on it as quickly as possible for us to put the train back on the line.”
Altogether, Ghana anticipates the arrival of 12 cutting-edge trains from Poland, aiming to enhance railway transportation across the nation.
Railways Development Minister John Peter Amewu has verified that there were no injuries in the incident concerning Ghana’s recently procured train from Poland.
During a test run on the Tema-Mpakadan railway route on Thursday, April 18, 2024, the train was involved in an accident.
It collided with a Kia truck parked on the railway, causing damage to its front.
Despite carrying passengers and inspectors, there were no casualties reported, as confirmed by Peter Amewu.
Additionally, he stated that the driver of the Kia truck involved in the accident has voluntarily reported to the police.
“The engineers are currently working on it. The train has been brought back to the workshop. The Kia driver himself has reported himself to the police station, but the conduct of the driver as of now cannot be well explained,” the Railways Minister said on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News.
“And the good thing is that all the passengers and the inspectors on board the train, none of them got injured and we are currently in the process of assessing the damage to the train.
“Technically, I would say the train is still in very good form. Nothing in terms of electrical or the engine has been affected, except the front that got slightly damaged.”
Earlier this month, the initial set of trains, manufactured in Poland, docked at the Tema Port, aiming to enhance railway transportation in Ghana.
A total of 12 modern trains are anticipated from Poland, slated to improve railway services across the country. These state-of-the-art trains are scheduled to commence operations by May, marking a significant advancement in Ghana’s railway sector.
Ghana’s transportation sector reached a significant milestone as the first batch of 12 state-of-the-art trains, assembled in Poland, arrived at the Tema Port.
These trains are destined for use on the new Tema-Mpakadan standard-gauge railway line, marking a major advancement in Ghana’s railway infrastructure.
The Tema-Mpakadan railway line, stretching 97 km, is a vital corridor facilitating the movement of goods and people along Ghana’s Eastern corridor.
This railway line is part of a larger plan for the Ghana-Burkina Faso interconnectivity project, aiming to connect Ouagadougou to the Port of Tema, totaling 1000 km.
Construction of the railway line is nearly complete, with a targeted completion date of 2024. The trains will transport passengers from Mpakadan through Kpong, Juapong, Doryumu to the Tema Port, where passengers can transfer to a narrow-gauge line leading to Accra.
During the handover ceremony in Poland, CEO of the Ghana Railways Development Authority, Yaw Owusu, emphasized the importance of a robust railway system for industrialization and development. He thanked the Polish manufacturer, PESA, for their support and highlighted the benefits of a long-term relationship between Ghana and PESA for future business and maintenance.
The train from Poland, which is set to ply the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, has finally arrived in Accra! It's fully assembled and can accommodate up to 200 passengers. pic.twitter.com/SviwTqzwSb
These trains, designed for both regional and long-distance travel, are the first standard-gauge rolling stock in Ghana. They are expected to last over 30 years with consistent maintenance. Ghana has signed a 5-year agreement with PESA, with plans to extend the maintenance period to 10 years.
This procurement of modern trains is part of a comprehensive framework contract between Ghana Railways and PESA, with the option to order an additional 10 vehicles in the future. These modern trains are expected to enhance connectivity, efficiency, and passenger experience, contributing to the overall economic development of the railway network.
With the arrival of these modern trains, Ghana’s rail sector is poised for growth, aligning with the government’s agenda to develop a network of 4000 km of railway across the country. System testing, trial runs, and commissioning by the President are expected to take place in June 2024, heralding a new era of improved connectivity and economic growth in Ghana.
On Friday, Senegal temporarily reactivated a long-dormant railway line to transport worshippers to an annual religious festival.
The GTS railway company announced the deployment of three trains, each capable of carrying 240 passengers, on a 130-kilometer route between Thies and the sacred town of Touba in central Senegal.
Dozens of people, some of whom were dancing, gathered by the tracks in Thies to witness the delayed departure of the first four-carriage train, adorned in old-fashioned green and grey livery, as observed by an AFP reporter.
Samba Ndiaye, the head of GTS, remarked, “People are emotional about the train. All the seats for today’s departures have already been sold. Passengers are going to travel in comfort and knowing what time they’ll arrive.”
This temporary train service will operate from Friday to the following Wednesday, helping alleviate the congestion on roads filled with cars and buses heading to Touba for the Grand Magal pilgrimage. The festival is organized by the Mouride Brotherhood, one of Senegal’s four Sufi Islam orders.
The reintroduction of this train service, with stops at Diourbel and Mbacke, is presented as a preview of the potential permanent restoration of railway traffic. The Thies-Touba line had been closed in 2018, and it is part of a network that France built in the 19th and early 20th centuries to connect its colonies in West Africa.
The network in Senegal had fallen into disuse due to a lack of track maintenance. However, this situation began to change in December 2021 when a new 36-kilometer line was inaugurated, connecting the capital Dakar to the new city of Diamniadio.
A train carrying more than 200 passengers and crew members derailed in California after colliding with a truck on the tracks. Fifteen persons were hurt.
According to Captain Brian McGrath of the Ventura County Fire Department, an Amtrak train impacted a truck near Moorpark on Wednesday, causing three of its seven carriages to derail.
The fire service reported that 15 individuals had been sent to hospitals shortly after 3 p.m. local time.
The driver of the truck was taken to a trauma center, according to the fire department, and 14 others suffered minor injuries.
A total of 186 passengers were on board and 13 others were Amtrak crew members.
‘Passengers continue to be evaluated,’ wrote the fire department around 1.30pm local time. ‘All trains have been searched with all occupants out and no passengers requiring extrication.’
It is believed that the truck driver managed to get out of the vehicle before the train struck it, McGrath said.
A small fire was extinguished by arriving firefighters.
The obliterated truck remained on the tracks after the crash, with some of its pieces lying next to the derailed cars. The cars that went off the tracks were still upright next to an orchard.
Most of the passengers evacuated the train on their own or with help from emergency responders.
The train was heading from Los Angeles to Seattle when ‘it struck a water truck obstructing the tracks’ at 11.15am, stated Amtrak.
‘Amtrak is working with customers to make alternate travel arrangements.’
Footage from the scene showed people with their luggage standing around as first responders addressed the situation.
A reunification center for families was set up at 799 Moorpark Avenue.
The company and local authorities are conducting an investigation into the crash.
Moorpark is about 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Major traffic delays were expected throughout the city.
Manto Kumar was on a train called Coromandel Express with six of his friends. Suddenly, the train shook very hard like an earthquake.
All of a sudden, something hit us. The restaurant worker, who is 32 years old, spoke with CNN from a hospital in Odisha state, India. They said that some coaches flipped over to the other side.
I stood up and covered my head that was bleeding with my shirt. Next, I searched for my pals. Everyone was yelling “help us. help us”
One of Kumar’s friends lost both his legs in the crash and was rushed to hospital. He did not survive his injuries.
Their story is just one of hundreds unfolding across the country as India deals with one of the worst train crashes it has ever seen.
At least 275 people were killed and more than 1,000 others injured after the Coromandel Express slammed into a parked freight train, scattering upturned passenger cars that were then struck by a Howrah Express train traveling at high speed in the opposite direction.
Three days later, families are still trying to locate their loved ones, piles of dead bodies are waiting to be identified and hospitals are laboring to treat an overwhelming number of injured passengers.
Morgues in the city of Balasore had earlier reached full capacity, prompting officials to place some of the bodies in school corridors and a business park for families to identify.
For families that have traveled to the city, aching to locate their loved ones, the wait has been traumatic.
“I’ve been to all the hospitals and I’ve found out nothing,” Laluti Devi, who was looking for her 22-year-old son, told CNN, adding she will now travel nearly four hours south to the state’s capital Bhubaneswar, in a desperate attempt to see if he was transported to a morgue there.
Many of the dead are unclaimed, and local authorities are struggling to deal with the sheer scale of the disaster.
On Sunday, the state government released the photographs of more than 160 victims, many in horrific condition with gruesome injuries, in a bid to help families identify the bodies.
That leaves people facing the agonizing task of scrolling though picture after picture of mangled victims on the off chance they might come across their missing loved one.
A distraught father arrived at one of the identification sites after receiving a WhatsApp photo of his dead son.
“I was looking for my son since (Saturday),” he told local outlet Mojo TV, breaking down as he pointed to the photo. His 23-year-old boy, a laborer, was traveling to the city of Chennai for his job, like many others in the coach with him.
“This is my boy. This is my boy,” the father said through tears after identifying his son’s body.
Elsewhere, two women traveled to several sites, crying with anguish as they tried to locate their missing husbands.
India’s Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said it was his “goal” to ensure that family members could find their missing loved ones as soon as possible.
“Our responsibility is not over yet,” he said.
At local hospitals, doctors were working around the clock to treat injured patients.
In Balasore, a 15-year-old boy was among hundreds of survivors that arrived at the Government Medical College for treatment.
“People who were alive were shouting for help, praying to god,” he said, adding the train was so full, there was barely any room to stand. “Rescue teams were doing their best to save people. A lot of people were crying,” he said.
Laxminaranyan Dhal, a 52-year-old farmer who was traveling alone, said he clung onto the railing of the train for survival.
“I escaped through the broken windows,” he said. “When I got out, I saw a lot of people lying around – many were dead, some were moaning in pain.”
His spinal chord injury has left him in excruciating pain, making it difficult for the laborer to sit or even to stand.
“I cannot farm anymore, it hurts too much. Only after treatment I can start working,” he said.
According to senior railway officials, the Coromandel Express, a high-speed train that was traveling from Kolkata to Chennai, was diverted onto a loop line and slammed into a heavy goods train idled at Bahanaga Bazar railway station.
Its carriages derailed onto the opposite track, where they were hit by an oncoming high-speed train, the Howrah Express, which was traveling from Bangalore.
Many of the travelers were migrant workers, en route to Chennai, an urban metropolis in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where jobs are more freely available.
Survivors recalled seeing crowded coaches, packed with travelers, when it began flipping and rolling from the crash.
Anushuman Purohi, who was in first class and seated toward the end of the train, said he saw many “unimaginable” injuries.
“When we opened the door, that’s when I actually heard the wail of humanity, crying out in pain, crying out for water and crying out for help,” he said.
“There were a lot of people lying on the tracks, they were injured, there was blood everywhere, there were broken bones, and it was time for us to stop thinking about ourselves and help the injured… It was chaos, it was something I can really not describe… I saw a head without a body, I saw skulls crushed, I saw bodies completely crushed by the metal, it was horrifying.”
All Sunday, workers toiled in the scorching heat to clear the wreckage, as rail cars remained rolled in a ditch and passengers’ belongings were seen strewn across the ground. Suitcases, bags, shoes and personal items lined the tracks, alongside wrought metal and charred coaches.
By late evening, the first train resumed movement at the impacted section.
Vaishnaw, the railways minister, and others waved as the train rode down the tracks.
“All the teams did a great job. But there is a lot of pain in our mind and hearts,” Vaishnaw said. “We will find out the root cause (of this incident).”
Anger is growing in India, now the world’s most populous nation, renewing calls for authorities to confront safety issues in a railway system that transports more than 13 million passengers every day.
India’s extensive rail network is one of the largest in the world and built more than 160 years ago under British colonial rule. Today, it runs about 11,000 trains every day over 67,000 miles of tracks.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who swept to power in 2014 on a promise of future greatness, upgrading the country’s transport system has been a key priority in his push to create a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
In the fiscal year that started in April, Modi’s government raised capital spending on airports, road and highway construction and other infrastructure projects to $122 billion, or 1.7% of India’s GDP. But years of neglect has left many tracks to deteriorate.
A report last year by India’s auditor general, an independent office, found the amount spent on track maintenance is falling. “Due to financial constraints, the progress in track renewals is constantly coming down over the last six years,” the report said.
Decaying infrastructure is often cited as a cause for traffic delays and numerous train accidents in India. And though government statistics show that accidents and derailments have declined in recent years, they are still tragically common.
More than 16,000 people were killed in nearly 18,000 railway accidents across the country in 2021, according to latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau. Nearly 70% were due to falls from trains and collisions between trains and people on the track.
In 2005, at least 102 people died when a passenger train derailed in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh as it tried to cross tracks washed away by a flood. In 2011, scores were killed when a train jumped tracks in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
In another infamous incident in 2016, more than 140 people were killed in another derailment in Uttar Pradesh.
Railways Minister Vaishnaw said authorities have asked the Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s top investigation agency, to probe Friday’s crash.
Authorities have announced compensation of about $1,200 to families who have lost loved ones.
But as teams continue to investigate the cause, no amount of money could make up for the devastating loss of life.
As Kumar, whose friend died in the crash, recalled the horror of Friday’s accident, he reflected on how lucky he was to survive.
“I am blessed to have another chance at life,” he said.
On Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to open a brand-new high-speed train, the Vande Bharat Express, as part of his administration’s significant investment in modernising the nation’s extensive infrastructure, including its railway system.
But instead, Obama made a trip to the scene of one of the greatest rail mishaps in American history to express his sympathies.
In a three-way collision involving two passenger trains and a goods train on Friday in eastern Odisha state, authorities reported that more than 280 people were killed and over 1,100 were injured.
The deadly crash in the city of Balasore has reverberated across India, now the world’s most populous nation, renewing calls for authorities to confront safety issues in a railway system that transports more than 13 million passengers every day. While the government has recently poured millions into upgrading the system, years of neglect has left tracks to deteriorate.
The cause of Friday’s crash remains unclear, but senior state railway officials told CNN that it is suspected to have been caused by a traffic signaling failure.
The officials said the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express entered a track where a train carrying goods was stopped and slammed into it, pushing several coaches into the opposite track. Another train – the Howrah Express traveling from Yesvantpur to Howrah – hit the carriages at high speed and derailed.
A train station superintendent in Odisha state explained on Saturday that a signaling failure can occur either due to a technical malfunction or human error, as traffic signals are often handled by personnel in every station.
A “high-level inquiry” has been ordered into the collision to understand what caused the crash, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of railways, told reporters on Saturday.
“We can’t bring back those we have lost but the government is with them (families) in their grief. This incident is very serious for the government … Whoever is found guilty will be punished severely,” Modi said, adding that the government would “leave no stone unturned.”
As the sun rose on Saturday, rescuers scrambled over the tangle of wreckage and overturned train carriages in a desperate search for survivors. Passengers joined first responders in an effort to free those trapped. Officials said the death toll was suspected to rise further, as many passengers were thought to be pinned under train cars.
Local authorities said that evening that search efforts had stopped but would resume Sunday.
“It’s still ongoing. We need to lift the wreckage and see what’s underneath… A crane has arrived, we will pull the coaches up one by one but we don’t have much hope of finding survivors,” Odisha’s fire services chief, Sudhanshu Sarangi, told local news channel NDTV.
“We’ve never seen so many dead bodies before. It’s sad but we’re trying.”
The government in the state, which has a population of about 44 million, declared a day of mourning on Saturday.
Video footage and photographs from the crash site near Bahanaga Bazar rail station showed scenes of chaos and despair. Dozens of dead bodies could be seen lying beside mangled train cars, while police officers and survivors stood nearby. Passengers’ personal belongings were strewn inside carriages, their windows crushed, spilling glass and metal debris onto the floors. Train carriages were ripped apart.
One of the passengers sitting in the second to last coach, Anshuman Purohit, told CNN that he felt a “massive shake” before the train screeched to a halt. When he opened the door, he could see the rest of the train off the tracks in a ditch.
“As we walked, all we could here was a huge wail of human cries. Bloodied people, running to our coach for help and water,” he said, adding that he could only see a fraction of the destruction.
“This was only a part of the overall accident. We couldn’t see the front. The coaches were on top of each other. Coaches on top of the wagon… People thrown out of the trains many feet away.”
Rohit Raj, a 19-year-old survivor, told CNN: “I was sleeping when all of a sudden, I heard a loud crash. There was smoke everywhere, we couldn’t see. Everyone was screaming, everyone was in shock.”
“People were trying to run and escape from the train. The coach in front of me was badly mangled. People were badly trapped. I saw people piled on top of each other. My coach derailed, but thankfully I managed to escape.”
Another survivor who did not share his name told local television he had fallen asleep and was jolted awake when the train derailed, causing about 15 people to fall on top of him.
“I was at the bottom of the pile. My hand is injured, it’s hurting a lot, and also the back of my neck,” he said. “When I came out of the train, I saw someone had lost their hand, someone had lost their limb, someone’s face was disfigured.”
Speaking to reporters Saturday, Narendra Singh Bundela, inspector general of operations at the National Disaster Response Force (NDRP), said teams have rescued passengers found alive at the site, but many bodies remain trapped under the derailed carriages.
“The coaches are very heavy and it’s been a difficult task to remove them and identify bodies,” Bundela said, adding 17 coaches were derailed and severely damaged.
“This is a serious incident and the government has ordered an inquiry,” he said. “This century for India, as far as I know, it is one of the (most) serious accidents.”
India’s extensive rail network, one of the largest in the world, was built more than 160 years ago under British colonial rule. Today, the network runs about 11,000 trains every day over 67,000 miles of tracks. It suffers from aging infrastructure and poor maintenance – factors often cited in accidents.
In 2005, at least 102 people died when a passenger train derailed in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh as it tried to cross tracks washed away by a flood. In 2011, scores were killed when a train jumped tracks in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
The death toll from Friday’s crash has already surpassed that of another infamous incident in 2016, when more than 140 people were killed in a derailment in northern Uttar Pradesh state. The same year, Modi announced huge investments in India’s railway system aimed at improving safety and connectivity.
In 2021, more than 16,000 people were killed in nearly 18,000 railway accidents across the country. According to the National Crime Records, most railway accidents – 67.7% – were due to falls from trains and collisions between trains and people on the track.
The latest crash comes as India carries out a major overhaul of its infrastructure, with the country investing millions to modernize transport links.
In February, Modi inaugurated the first section of a 1,386-kilometer (861-mile) expressway linking the capital New Delhi to the financial hub of Mumbai. Construction is also underway for the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, which aims to decongest India’s railway network. Later this year, the country will open Chenab Bridge – the world’s tallest railway bridge – in the country’s Jammu and Kashmir region.
Modi arrived at the scene in Balasore on Saturday, to survey the site, meet with emergency teams and visit injured passengers in the hospital.
More than 115 ambulances and several fire service units are involved in the rescue effort. The Indian army, teams from the National Disaster Response Force, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, and the state’s fire services have been dispatched to the site.
Hundreds of people had gathered outside local hospitals to donate blood, in a massive show of solidarity and support. About 500 units of blood were collected overnight with 900 units currently in stock.
Manish, a volunteer, attempted to donate blood at Soro Block Hospital, but couldn’t enter as it was already packed with people offering to help.
“There are literally dead bodies all around,” he said. “Injured passengers are being treated outside of the hospital because of lack of beds.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared his “heartfelt condolences,” joining a chorus of other world leaders, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
A taxi cab driver narrowly escaped death at Alajo on Thursday morning, May 25, when an Accra-bound train from Tema collided with his car.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver attempted to cross the rail tracks hastily but became stuck, leading to the oncoming train colliding with the vehicle and pushing it off the tracks.
The driver’s side of the taxi was severely damaged, leaving onlookers in shock.
A video of the incident captured passersby assisting the driver out of the taxi and urging him to report the incident to the police.
The driver appeared visibly shaken by the accident as he retrieved his belongings from the vehicle.
“Take your belongings and let’s go to the police station. Strange things are really happening in this world; the train has completely damaged the vehicle,” the concerned passersby were overheard saying.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) have been unsuccessful thus far.
Reports from France say a suspected attacker who stabbed and injured six people at Paris’s Gare du Nord rail station on Wednesday has been identified as a Libyan national aged in his 20s who was due to be deported.
Police are still investigating the motive but are not believed to be treating it as a terror related.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has praised the courage of two off-duty police officers who intervened to halt the attack.
The suspect was shot three times and taken to hospital with serious injuries.
After spotting a missing, injured hiker through a train window, a Colorado train passenger assisted in her rescue.
According to a Facebook post from the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, the passenger was riding Colorado’s Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on October 10 when she noticed the hiker through the window and alerted the train conductor.
Rats with backpacks could help rescue earthquake survivors
The hiker, a woman from New Mexico, went missing after she began a hike on the Colorado Trail, says the office. She left the trail and headed along the Animas riverbank, where she fell, breaking her leg. She spent two nights injured in the wilderness, according to the office.
After the second night, she managed to find a high-visibility spot on the riverbank – and flagged down the passing train.
Two train staff who were also trained medics crossed the river and stayed with the hiker until the Silverton Medical Rescue team arrived, according to the office.
The missing hiker had broken her leg and spent two nights in the wilderness. From SJCOEM/Facebook/Silverton Medical Rescue
The rescue operation was complex: the search and rescue team were flown in on a helicopter and used ropes to transport the injured hiker across the river. Then, a helicopter flew the patient to a nearby hospital. The search and rescue team was transported out of the riverbank area on a small train, according to the office.
“Another person in a moment of need was successfully brought home due to teamwork and collaboration,” wrote the office.
DIONS Entrepreneurship Ecosystem has commenced enrollment to groom and empower 1,600 young E-E-Commerce entrepreneurs across the 16 regions of Ghana for its 2020/2021 cohort.
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The fellowship will offer practical support including equity funding to equip trainees to develop, start, and grow their own startup businesses.
Selected fellows will also have the opportunity to secure start-up capital support of $1000, a business support funding which will be available to all qualified and selected individuals, who will sign-up as active members of the entrepreneurship ecosystem after its official launch on August 31, 2020.
DIONS Entrepreneurship Ecosystem will bring together owners of established startups as well as aspiring entrepreneurs to share ideas and experiences during the programme.
The programme will also exempt trainees from all subscription and membership fees till they start earning their first four figure income ($1,000 and above) from their newly-established e-commerce businesses.
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The Ghana Railways Company Limited has confirmed the return train from Tarkwa to Takoradi on Thursday experienced a minor challenge at Nsuta in the Tarkwa Nsueam Municipality of the Western Region.
The company, however, says the challenge was resolved for the train to proceed safely back to Takoradi minutes after the incident.
“When we got to Nsuta the coach carrying goods experienced a technical hitch and so we had to stop. After on-the-spot examination, the engineers agreed that the coach be left behind,†Michael Kobina Addison, the Chief Civil Engineer for Ghana Railways Company Limited, told 3news.com.
Mr Kobina Addison added that immediately after the advice, the cargo coach was separated from the passenger side for the train to continue back to Takoradi.
A video has emerged showing that one of the coaches for the Takoradi to Tarkwa passenger service has derailed at Nsuta.
Mr. Kobina Addison dismissed reports that passengers had to be rushed to safety.
“The affected coach was a cargo one. There were no passengers on that section. So it is not true that people had to be rushed to safety.â€
Issues of safety
He explained that there is a technical team on board each trip to immediately address any issues that would arise.
“There are also vacuums for break. So in the event of any derailment that particular coach will break off. When that happens it serves as a natural push on the other coaches and so the driver will notice it and stop.â€
Responding to the complaint of different experience on the track from Takoradi to Kojokrom as against Kojokrom to Tarkwa, Mr. Kobina Addison explained that it had to do with how old both tracks are.
“The Takoradi to Kojokrom rail lines were built and completed in 2016. So they are very new and it is also a dual gauge. But the track from Kojokrom to Tarkwa is a narrow gauge and are more than 100 years old. They have completed two life cycles. The life cycle of a track is around 50 years.â€
He indicated that it is the same tracks that they use to haul manganese from Nsuta.
“And so because of that, we carry out routine maintenance works on them. And I must add that before the commencement of this free passenger service we had several successful test runs on the track.â€
He stated that where the incident happened had steel sleepers.
“As I speak the coach has been cleared from the track. This morning our train set off for Tarkwa and so far we have had no challenge.â€
