Dozens of passengers were injured on Thursday after two passenger trains collided in southern Czech Republic, authorities said, prompting a major emergency response and an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The collision occurred in a region roughly 132 kilometres south of Prague. Early images from the scene showed extensive damage to the front sections of both trains, indicating a head-on impact. Emergency crews, including firefighters, paramedics and police, were deployed within minutes as calls for assistance came from passengers and witnesses near the crash site.
Firefighters were forced to cut through wreckage to reach the driver of one of the trains, who had been trapped in the cabin, the CTK news agency reported. The driver’s condition has not been publicly disclosed, but officials confirmed multiple serious injuries among those taken to nearby hospitals.
A spokeswoman for a regional hospital told CTK that four people had been admitted with serious injuries requiring immediate medical intervention. According to the region’s governor, Martin Kuba, nine people sustained moderate injuries, while another 25 were treated for lighter wounds. Emergency medical teams remained at the scene for several hours to assess passengers and ensure no one had been overlooked in the damaged carriages.
Transport Minister Martin Kupka said in a statement on X that the incident remains under investigation. However, preliminary findings suggest that one of the trains may have passed a signal that was in the stop position. Kupka said a full inquiry was underway to determine why standard safety protocols may not have been followed and whether any technical or human error contributed to the collision.
Rail authorities have begun gathering data from onboard systems, signal logs and witness accounts. The investigation is expected to examine whether the signalling equipment at the site was functioning properly at the time of the crash, as well as the actions of both drivers in the minutes leading up to the collision.
Local media reported that the force of the impact threw some passengers from their seats and scattered debris inside the carriages. Several passengers were treated at the scene for shock and minor cuts.
Rail traffic in the region was suspended as emergency teams worked to stabilise the site and remove damaged carriages from the tracks. Officials have not yet given a timeline for restoring full service, saying safety inspections must be completed before operations can resume.
The crash has raised concerns about rail safety in the country, which has experienced several notable incidents in recent years. Officials say findings from the investigation will help determine whether any immediate safety adjustments are required across the network.
