- Title: RUSSIA: Bomb might have caused Russia's train crash
- Date: 29th November 2009
- Summary: UGLOVKA, NOVGOROD REGION, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 28, 2009) (REUTERS) DERAILED AND DAMAGED WAGON AT CRASH SITE MANGLED PART OF WAGON MANGLED METAL IN FIELD POLICE FORCES STANDING BY DERAILED WAGON POLICE FORCES AT CRASH SITE HEAD OF RUSSIA'S NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY WALKING ALONG TRAIN TRACK (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VLADIMIR YAKUNIN, HEAD OF RUSSIA'S NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, SAYING: "The investigation is in progress now. It will take a certain amount of time, our forces are working flat out. We are waiting for permission to evacuate the wagons that are still on the rails. The engine has been put back on the rails, and after we have finished the work around the crater, we will start evacuating the wagons that were most severely damaged." JOURNALIST HOLDING MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VLADIMIR YAKUNIN, HEAD OF RUSSIA'S NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, SAYING: "What I can say now is that the possibility of an explosion is also being investigated. As you know there are objective reasons to believe there was one, but the investigation will determine this." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VLADIMIR YAKUNIN, HEAD OF RUSSIA'S NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, SAYING: "Nothing [referring to the number of casualties] has changed yet, it is still the same figure, 23 persons [dead]." POLICE AND CRANE ON TRACK DERAILED AND DAMAGED WAGON IN FIELD FIRE TRUCKS AT CRASH SITE AMBULANCE AT CRASH SITE
- Embargoed: 14th December 2009 09:16
- Keywords:
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVA6912TCPP9BNLV38CB52UDR4F6
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Russia opens a criminal case on terrorism charges after a train crash kills dozens of people.
Russian police were investigating on Saturday morning (November 28) why an express train from Moscow to St Petersburg had come off the rails on Friday night, killing dozens of people.
The head of Russia's national railway company said an investigation was underway, but there was reason to believe the incident had been caused by a bomb.
"The investigation is in progress now. It will take a certain amount of time, our forces are working flat out. We are waiting for permission to evacuate the wagons that are still on the rails. The engine has been put back on the rails, and after we have finished the work around the crater, we will start evacuating the wagons that were most severely damaged," said Vladimir Yakunin.
"What I can say now is that the possibility of an explosion is also being investigated. As you know there are objective reasons to believe there was one, but the investigation will determine this," he added.
Russia's national media agency Interfax said Russian prosecutors had opened a criminal case on terrorism charges and a criminal case on charges of illegal possession of explosives.
Early reports said at least 39 people had been killed, but ministry officials later said only 25 people had been confirmed as dead, though they said the toll could rise and that at least 18 people were still unaccounted for. 96 people were said to have been injured.
The Nevsky Express, carrying 661 passengers from Moscow to St Petersburg, came off the rails at 2134 local time (1834 GMT) near the town of Bologoye, 350 km (200 miles) north of Moscow.
Rescue work took place under floodlights, near debris on the side of the railway tracks.
A spokesman for Russia's main domestic intelligence service, the FSB, declined to comment on whether an attack was suspected but Russian Railways said that an explosive device may have caused the derailment.
Interfax news agency said a one-metre (3-ft) wide crater had been found next to the railway track.
Russian transport officials said trains were being diverted along alternate lines on one of the country's busiest routes.
The derailment was Russia's worst train accident for years and talk of sabotage is likely to raise fears of an upsurge in attacks on the Russian heartland by rebels from the North Caucasus.
In 2007, 30 people were injured when a train operating on the same line was derailed after an explosion damaged rails. The men accused of the 2007 attack are suspected of having links to Chechen rebels. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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