Four dead and dozens injured after trains smash into each other in tourist hotspot

Two trains have crashed into each other in Indonesia killing at least four people and trapping dozens more. One train slammed into another at a station outside the capital Jakarta leaving people trapped in a badly damaged carriage, officials said. Four people have been confirmed dead and some 38 passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment, state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia said in a statement. The Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train crashed into the rear car of a commuter train that was stopped at Bekasi Timur Station. The carriage had been designated for women only, a common accommodation to help avoid harassment. Rescue teams have been working to reach five passengers trapped in the commuter train car and authorities fear the death toll could increase. Passengers reportedly could be heard screamed as the trains collided. Rescue operations have been complicated by heavily damaged train carriages which has limited access to the crash site, forcing rescuers to cut through twisted metal to reach trapped passengers. Authorities also temporarily shut off overhead electric power along the Cibitung–East Bekasi line to ensure safety during the evacuation. Injured passengers have been taken to nearby medical centres, including Bekasi Regional Hospital, with reports that its casualty departments have been overwhelmed by the number of patients. Many of the injured were women returning home from work, with some suffering fractures, according to initial reports. All 240 passengers on the Argo Bromo Anggrek train were safe, officials said. Police were investigating the cause of the accident, Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri told reporters at the scene. Local television footage and videos on social media showed passengers at the station panicking, while dozens of people rushed to the station for news of family members. The state-owned railway company apologized to customers. Accidents are common on Indonesia’s aging railroad network. In January 2024, two trains collided in West Java province, killing at least four people. On that occasion the Turangga express train carrying 287 passengers was travelling from Surabaya, the capital of East Java province, when it ploughed into a Bandung Raya commuter train with 191 passengers heading to Padalarang from Haurpugur station at about 6.03am. In October 2013, a passenger train slammed into a minibus at an unguarded crossing in West Java, killing 13 people. In 2010, a train from Jakarta plowed into the rear of a train that was sitting at a station in Central Java province, killing 36.