Train Derails in Turkey, Kills at least 37
Pakistan Times Monitoring Desk

ANKARA (Turkey): At least 37 people have been killed and scores injured when a packed express train crashed in northwestern Turkey.

Four of the train's carriages overturned on the trip from Istanbul to the capital, Ankara.

Initial Death Toll

Officials had initially put the death toll at 139 - but later revised it down to 37. There were conflicting reports about the number of injured.

"As more than one source is trying to determine the number of the dead and injured they may have been exaggerated," government official Hasan Ipek said.

The train derailed near Pamukova town in Sakarya province.

"Rescue workers are using heavy machinery to lift up the carriages and check underneath for dead and injured," Pamukova's mayor Feridun Turan said.

Passengers

There were 234 passengers and nine staff aboard the train, officials said.

"It is not possible to comment on the cause of the accident before a technical investigation is carried out," railway official Muammer Turker said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already cancelled a trip to Bosnia-Hercegovina so he can attend the crash site.

The train was one of a number of new express trains which came into service last month.

The trains travel at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour and critics had warned that the infrastructure was not suitable for such a project.●