On Monday evening (April 27th), a commuter train and a long-distance train collided in Bekasi, West Java Province, Indonesia. The state-owned Indonesian railway company, KAI, reported on Tuesday (28th) morning that the accident has resulted in 14 deaths and 84 injuries. Authorities are currently on-site working to evacuate all affected individuals as quickly as possible.
According to local media reports, the major railway accident occurred around 8:50 p.m. local time on Monday near East Bekasi Station in Bekasi. Bekasi is located about 20 kilometers east of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and is one of Jakarta’s important satellite cities.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the commuter train had stopped on the tracks due to a malfunction. Subsequently, a speeding long-distance train entered the same track and collided forcefully with the rear of the commuter train due to an inability to avoid it.
Bobby Rasyidin, the CEO of the Indonesian railway company, stated on Tuesday morning that the number of fatalities has risen to 14, with 84 others injured. Rescue teams are still working diligently to extricate survivors trapped in the debris.
He also mentioned that the initial cause of the malfunction appears to be a collision between a taxi and the commuter train at a level crossing, forcing the train to halt on the tracks.
Due to the strong impact, the front of the long-distance train directly “inserted” into the rear carriages of the commuter train, instantly causing the carriages to twist and deform, trapping passengers inside. As the most severely damaged rear carriage was designated for female passengers, a significant number of female passengers were killed or injured. Following the accident, screams filled the scene, plunging it into chaos.
Eyewitnesses at the scene stated that the collision targeted the carriage designated for women, with a powerful force that threw many passengers out of their seats. As the doors were deformed and unable to open, some passengers had to break windows to escape.
Mohammad Syafii, head of the Jakarta search and rescue agency, mentioned in an earlier press conference on Tuesday, “The search and rescue operation has been ongoing since last night until this morning. Due to severe metal deformation of the carriages, many injured individuals were trapped amidst the wreckage, necessitating rescue teams to utilize cutting tools to extract the survivors.”
The Jakarta search and rescue agency stated in a release that the collision resulted in “severe damage to multiple carriages.”
Local authorities reported that all the deceased were on the commuter train, with dozens of injured passengers being taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The 240 passengers on the long-distance train have all been safely evacuated.
The Indonesian railway company has expressed apologies for the incident. The taxi company involved has also issued a statement, promising full cooperation with the ongoing investigation by the authorities.
The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has intervened in the case to ascertain the specific causes of the accident and the responsibilities of all involved parties.