Freight train derailment kills 75 in south DR Congo

KINSHASA, Congo

At least 75 people have been killed and 125 injured following a railway accident Friday in Lubudi, a territory in the southern DRC province of Lualaba.

Twenty-eight of the injured suffered serious trauma and were referred to specialised medical centres for treatment, according to a communiqué from the Ministry of Communication published on Sunday.

DRC authorities concluded the search for survivors on Sunday.

The train, from the Congolese Railway Company (SNCC), derailed and seven of its 10 wagons ended up into a ravine between the Kitenta and Buyofwe stations, about 10 kilometres from the centre of Lubudi.

The train was also carrying passengers.

Minister of Communication Patrick Muyaya said that the Director General of SNCC, Fabien Mutomb, is expected in Kinshasa on Monday over the train incident.

The train departed from the Mwene-Ditu station in the Lomami province in central DRC and the accident occurred nearly 600km further up the line.

President Félix Tshisekedi offered condolences to the relatives of victims in a tweet.

Train derailments are common in Congo where rail lines and carriages are not well maintained. People will often hop on freight trains to travel long distances because of a lack of good roads and passenger trains.

Nine people died in October when a train derailed in the same province, in Kenzenze in the Mutshatsha area.