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Head-On Train Collision In Switzerland Leaves Dozens Injured

Two passenger trains were involved in a head-on collision in Switzerland on Monday.

The AP and the BBC report that about 35 people were injured when trains collided about 31 miles southwest of capital, Bern. The Swiss news outlet 24 Heures reports that five of the injured are in serious condition.

The BBC adds:

"The driver of one of the trains was still unaccounted for and thought to be inside the wreckage, police spokesman Jean-Christophe Sauterel said.

" 'These are regional trains. The speeds are a little lower and even if one deeply regrets the likely loss of life of one person as well as five serious injuries, the situation could have been much more catastrophic,' he said.

"He said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash."

The accident follows a string of others across the globe: A derailment in Spain killed about 79; in France, eight were killed in an accident earlier this month; and in Canada another derailment left 50 dead.

The AP adds:

"Switzerland's rail system is considered among the best and safest in the world. Accidents are rare, though three years ago the country's popular Glacier Express tourist train derailed in the Alps, killing one person and injuring 42."

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.
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