Turkey: Train mishap in Ankara kills nine, injures 50

Turkey : In a high-speed locomotive collision take took place in a suburb of Turkey capital Ankara, nine people were killed and close to 50 passengers were injured. The incident took place when a train collided with a locomotive and crashed into a station platform Thursday, official said.

Rescuers immediately reached the accident spot to free people trapped under the mangled wreckage at the Marsandiz train station, 8 km from central Ankara. Railway police is undertaking investigation to find the exact reason of the mishap. It is yet to be cleared at which speed the train and locomotive were travelling when the collision occurred. There was light snow on the tracks.

The train heading from Ankara to the central province of Konya and was not due to stop at Marsandiz.

Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin said the locomotive, which lay battered 20 metres further ahead, carried out track inspections. Among the deceased were three train drivers, Transport Minister Cahit Turhan told reporters on the scene. 

As per report on Anadolu news agency, there were 206 passengers on the high-speed train. And, Ankara state prosecutor office had launched an investigation.

For some time, Turkey has been developing a network of high-speed rail links during Tayyip Erdogan's 16-year-old rule as it looks to ease the burden on increasingly congested highways.