22 killed as crane collapses on to passenger train in Thailand

A construction crane has fallen on to a moving passenger train in north-eastern Thailand, causing a fiery derailment that killed at least 22 people.

Another 64 people were injured and rescuers are still searching the wreckage and giving first aid.

The derailment occurred on part of an ambitious high-speed rail project that will eventually connect China with much of south-east Asia.

The crane, which was being used to build an elevated part of the railway, fell as the train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province, according to the public relations office for Nakhon Ratchasima province, where the accident took place.

Photos published in Thai media showed plumes of smoke above the scene, and construction equipment hanging down from between two concrete support pillars.

Rescue workers stood on top of overturned railways carriages, some of them with gaping holes torn on their sides, video from public broadcaster ThaiPBS showed.

What appeared to be sections of the crane were scattered along the track. Meanwhile, paramedics gave first aid to injured passengers.

Thai media reported the train had three carriages, the last two being the most damaged.

Transport minister Piphat Ratchakitprakan said 195 people were on the train. He added that he had ordered an investigation.

The elevated segment that collapsed is a part of a Thai-Chinese project linking the national capital Bangkok to the north-eastern province of Nong Khai, bordering Laos.

The two-stage project has a total investment cost of more than 520 billion baht (£12.2 billion) and is associated with an ambitious plan to connect China with south-east Asia under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

In August 2024, a railway tunnel on the planned route, also in Nakhon Ratchasima, collapsed, killing three workers. Days of heavy rainfall were believed to have been a factor.