Six dead in Congo derailment

2005-03-26 19:03

Brazzaville - Six people died Friday when a train travelling from the Congolese capital Brazzaville to Pointe-Noire in the west went off the rails 100km from its destination, railway authorities said.

The train, made up of passenger and goods wagons, left the rails on a bend near Foubou and crashed into a tree, Congolese railways director Jacky Primardeau told reporters.

A wagon loaded with bananas overturned, killing six people who had stowed away on board, Primardeau said. Two other illicit passengers were seriously injured.

Efforts were being made to get the train back on the tracks and reopen the line as quickly as possible.

The 510km long line was put into service in 1934 by former colonial power France.

- AFP