50 killed as train derails in Democratic Republic of Congo - report

At least 50 people have been killed as a train derailed in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo.

At least 50 people have been killed and several injured after a train derailed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the early hours of Thursday, according to government officials although their reports on the number of casualties differed widely.

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Steve Mbikayi, said the derailment happened around 3 am local time, near the town of Mayibaridi, and the death toll of 50 was provisional.

"Speaking for the government, I present my condolences to the families affected," he said on Twitter

Rescue workers have been sent to the scene of the accident, the minister added.

The governor of Tanganyika, Zoe Kabila, later gave a lower provisional toll of 10 people killed and 30 injured. He said three of the train's carriages had come off the tracks.

The derailment also injured 23 others, and the death toll could climb as people are still trapped underneath the train.

Deadly transport accidents are common in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to poor infrastructure and lack of regulation.

Encore une catastrophe !Déraillement à 3h du matin ds le Tanganyika aux environs de la localité Mayibaridi.Bilan provisoire:50 morts et plusieurs blessés !Au nom du gvt ,je présente les condoléances aux familles éprouvées. Réunion en cours pr des dispositions à prendre.

— STEVE MBIKAYI (@Cartesien243) September 12, 2019

Railways in the DRC have a poor record for safety, hampered by poor tracks and decrepit locomotives, many of them dating from the 1960s. In March, at least 24 people were killed and 31 were injured Sunday when a freight train carrying illegal passengers crashed in the central region of Kasai.

In November last year, 10 stowaways were killed and 24 injured near the eastern town of Samba when the brakes failed on a freight train. In November 2017, 35 people were killed when a freight train carrying 13 oil tankers plunged into a ravine in southern Lualaba province.

(With inputs from agencies)