14 injured in train collision in Czech

PRAGUE, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen people, including three children, were injured after two passenger trains collided and derailed on Thursday near Cesky Krumlov, a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.

According to the police, the train accident happened on one-track operation lane between Ceske Budejovice and Cerny Kriz at 12:55 with about 50 people on the board of the trains. The line is currently closed.

Spokesman of Czech Railway and Transport Administration Marek Illias said that the entire engine and the gearbox remained in the track. Among the injured, four are moderately wounded, and the others are with slight injuries.

The officials said the exact causes of the trains crash are not yet known, the incident is being investigated by the police.

Most likely, the collision was caused by the fault of one of the train drivers who ignored the ban and entered the monorail line. The accident spot was attended by emergency medical service, including helicopters.

The estimated damage to the crashed trains is around six million Czech crowns (282,000 U.S. dollars). Enditem