President Bola Tinubu has commiserated with the people and the government of the Republic of India over a multiple train crash, which killed at least 280 passengers.
In his condolence letter, Tinubu said, “My heart goes to the families of those affected by the unfortunate and heartrending train cash in the Indian state of Odisha.
“We stand with India in brotherhood at this difficult time. The magnitude of the crash and the high casualty figure call for global support for India to adequately respond to this calamitous accident.
“I send my deepest sympathy and condolences to His Excellency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of India and the families of those trapped in the crash.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has commiserated with the people of the Republic of India following the train crash that killed more than 280 passengers and injured more than 850 in a horrific three-train collision in India, officials said Saturday, the country’s deadliest rail accident in more than 20 years.
Carriages had flipped over entirely in the crash late on Friday and rescue workers searched for survivors trapped in the mangled wreckage, with scores of bodies laid out under white sheets beside the tracks.
As dawn broke on Saturday, rescue workers were able to see the full extent of the carnage.
Sudhanshu Sarangi, director general of Odisha Fire Services, said that the death toll stood at 288.
“The rescue work is still going on,” he told AFP from the accident site, adding there were “a lot of serious injuries”.
India is no stranger to railway accidents and has seen several disasters, the worst of them in 1981, when a train derailed while crossing a bridge in Bihar and plunged into the river below, killing between 800 and 1,000 people.
US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said: “Our thoughts are with the people of India at this time.”
Despite the latest crash, railway safety — thanks to massive new investments and upgrades in technology — has improved significantly in recent years.
