Indonesia: At least 14 dead, 84 injured in train collision
What's the story
A tragic train collision near Jakarta, Indonesia, has left at least 14 dead and 84 others injured. The incident took place late on Monday when a commuter train was hit by a long-distance train in Bekasi, just outside the capital city. Anna Purba of the state-owned KAI rail company confirmed that rescuers are still trying to reach two people who remain trapped in the wreckage.
Ongoing investigation
President promises to build flyover near train tracks
The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) of Indonesia is probing the crash. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited a hospital in Bekasi where the injured were admitted and promised to build a flyover near the train tracks to ease traffic congestion. He also acknowledged that many areas of the train network are not well-maintained.
Survivor's account
Survivor recalls terrifying moments
Sausan Sarifah, a survivor of the crash, recalled to AFP the terrifying moments when her train was hit. She said there was no time to escape, and people ended up piled on top of each other inside the train. Franoto Wibowo from rail operator KAI said a taxi may have hit the commuter train at a level crossing, causing it to stop on the tracks, where it was then struck by another train.
Ongoing rescue
Rescue operations underway
Rescue operations are underway with the military, fire brigade, national search and rescue agency, and Red Cross assisting in the efforts. Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri said the long-distance train hit the last, women-only carriage of the commuter train, while Anna Purba said all the victims were in the commuter train and all passengers on the long-distance train were evacuated safely. Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad warned that "the number of victims may continue to rise."
Safety concerns
Transport accidents common in Indonesia
The Jakarta search and rescue agency said the collision caused "significant damage to several train carriages" and left some passengers trapped due to the impact. Eva Chairista rushed to a hospital after hearing her sister-in-law was injured in the crash. Transport accidents are common in Indonesia, where vehicles are often old and poorly maintained. A similar incident in January 2024 killed four crew members and injured about two dozen others in West Java province.