At Least 22 Dead After Crane Collapses Onto Moving Train in Thailand

At least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in north-eastern Thailand on Wednesday morning, authorities said. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams continue recovery operations at the scene. The accident occurred at around 9:00am local time in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, approximately 230 kilometres north-east of Bangkok. According to police, the crane was part of an ongoing railway construction project when it suddenly fell onto a train travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani.

The impact derailed at least one carriage, which briefly caught fire, trapping passengers inside. Police confirmed that 79 people were injured, eight of them critically. Rescue workers are still removing bodies from the wreckage. Thailand’s State Railway said the train’s seating plan showed 195 passengers and staff members were on board, though the actual number may vary. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phipat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered a “thorough and comprehensive investigation” into the cause of the collapse. The Governor of the State Railway of Thailand has been instructed to lead the inquiry, while officials work to verify the identities of the victims and monitor those injured. Authorities said compensation will be provided to families of deceased railway workers.

The crane was being used for a medium-speed rail project that is largely financed by Thailand, though it incorporates Chinese railway technology. The project has faced repeated delays over the years. Images released by local authorities and the state railway show mangled train carriages pinned beneath heavy construction beams as emergency crews and bystanders gathered around the site. Rescue operations are ongoing, and officials have warned that the number of fatalities may increase as more victims are recovered from the damaged train cars.