India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised 'stringent punishment' for those responsible for a horror train crash which has killed more than 300 people, as early investigations point to a signalling error as the cause.
The derailment happened after an error in the electronic signaling system that led a train to wrongly change tracks, India's railways minister said on Sunday.
It comes after a three-train collision on Friday night in Odisha killed at least 300 people and news left some 900 needing hospital treatment.
Shocking footage has revealed the extent of the devastation after India's worst rail crash in 20 years.
Aerial footage shows several derail carriages, some of which have overturned and are lying next to the track - as hundreds stand alongside.
Modi told citizens this weekend that those responsible for the crash will be identified and face serious consequences.
Recovery efforts to find further victims of the crash are ongoing, authorities have said
A further 15 bodies were found on Saturday night, with the death toll still expected to rise
The tragedy is so far known to have killed more than 300 and injured more than 900
The explanation as to the possible cause came as authorities worked to clear the mangled wreckage of the two passenger trains that derailed Friday night in Balasore district of eastern Odisha state, in one of the country's deadliest rail accidents in decades.
The Press Trust of India news agency earlier reported that preliminary investigations revealed that a signal was given to the Coromandel Express to enter the main track line but the signal was later taken off.
Should you loved this informative article and you would love to receive much more information about izkp.ru assure visit our own web page. The train entered another line, known as the loop line, and crashed into a goods train parked there, PTI said.
Fifteen bodies were recovered on Saturday evening and efforts continued overnight as heavy cranes were used to remove an engine that had settled on top of a rail car.
The accident occurred at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing on the modernization of the British colonial-era railroad network in India, which has become the world's most populous country with 1.42 billion people.
Despite government efforts to improve rail safety, several hundred accidents occur every year on India's railways, the largest train network under one management in the world.
Chaotic scenes erupted on Friday night as rescuers climbed atop the wrecked trains to break open doors and windows using cutting torches to try to save people who were trapped inside the rail cars.
Modi visited the crash site on Saturday to examine the relief effort and talk to rescue officials.
He also visited a hospital where he asked doctors about the treatments being given to the injured, and spoke to some of the patients.
He told reporters he felt the pain of those who suffered in the accident. He said the government would do its utmost to help them and strictly punish anyone found responsible.
Ten to 12 coaches of one train derailed, and debris from some of the mangled coaches fell onto a nearby track.
The debris was hit by another passenger train coming from the opposite direction, causing up to three coaches of the second train to also derail, said Amitabh Sharma, a Railroad Ministry spokesperson.
Devastated villagers have told harrowing stories of the disaster.
One man, Suryaveer, said he discovered his mother had died in the crash after he was sent an image and recognised the dress she was wearing.
Tutu Biswas, who was on the train, said he saw 'many people injured' including a 'small child' who died shortly after crying for their parents.