A tragic accident occurred in southern Slovakia on Thursday, as a train traveling from Prague to Budapest collided with a bus. The collision, which took place shortly after 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) near the town of Nove Zamky, resulted in at least five deaths and five injuries.
More than 100 passengers were on board the Eurocity train at the time of the accident. The bus sustained significant damage, and video footage showed the train engine engulfed in flames. Slovakia’s rescue service confirmed the casualties.
Interior Minister Matus Sutai Estok is heading to the scene of the accident, while police have closed the major train track connecting Bratislava to Budapest until further notice. The stranded passengers aboard the damaged train are being transported by bus to Sturovo, a town on the Hungarian border.
President Peter Pellegrini, who was attending an EU summit in Brussels, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery and thanked the medical and rescue teams for their efforts. Pellegrini expressed hope that such tragedies would be avoided in Slovakia in the future.
