A train has derailed in Morocco leaving at least seven people dead and nearly 80 injured. The shuttle train linking the Moroccan capital to a northern town derailed Tuesday, according to crash site investigators. The train was about halfway between the towns of Rabat and Kenitra when it derailed near the city of Sale. The wreckage from the crash left a tangled mess of twisted metal, and doors and seats can be seen jutting out of damaged train cars.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Accident de train entre <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rabat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rabat</a> et <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kenitra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kenitra</a> 😢😢😢 ca a l’air grave vu les dégâts matériels <a href="https://t.co/8eI55k1IZI">pic.twitter.com/8eI55k1IZI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Maroc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Maroc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Morocco?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Morocco</a></p>— RTwittoma 🇲🇦 (@RTwittoma) <a href="https://twitter.com/RTwittoma/status/1052266242025897984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The scene was chaotic with crash debris littering the area around it ranging from glass from broken windows to passengers belongings and even bodies. Emergency responders quickly transported victims to the hospital in an effort to save as many lives as possible. Victims were taken to hospitals in Rabat, Sale, and Kenitra.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">At least 6 dead, dozens injured after train derails in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Morocco?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Morocco</a> <a href="https://t.co/qxXJd3UeLe">https://t.co/qxXJd3UeLe</a> <a href="https://t.co/8VNC0tLTFj">pic.twitter.com/8VNC0tLTFj</a></p>— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/CGTNOfficial/status/1052211911129845761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The first to arrive at the scene were residents of the town of Sidi Bouknadel. They helped the injured victims and tried to help trapped survivors climb out of the mangled mess of train cars. They also assisted in covering the bodies of the deceased passengers. The derailment is said to have taken place around 9:30 a.m. local time.
Teams of rescue workers scoured the crash site for more victims using cadaver dogs to help detect any trapped passengers. Moroccan military also responded to the site and provided security at the site as railway workers and police began their investigations.
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/25421-Germany-Bavaria-Train-Crash-Leaves-2-Dead-14-Wounded-Video">Germany - Bavaria Train Crash Leaves 2 Dead, 14 Wounded (Video)</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldNewsdotcom?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldNewsdotcom</a> has a Daily newsletter covering news from during the day<br><br>In today's news:<br><br>+ 7 killed, 80 hurt in Moroccan derailment<br><br>+ Pompeo, Saudi king discuss disappearance<br><br>+ WHO to discuss Congo's Ebola outbreak<br><br>Tuesday's Daily Newsletter:<a href="https://t.co/TkBfOVurPo">https://t.co/TkBfOVurPo</a> <a href="https://t.co/3E66hiuCVy">pic.twitter.com/3E66hiuCVy</a></p>— World News Network (@worldnewsdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldnewsdotcom/status/1052329656240824320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A local cafe owner named Mourad El Kbiri said, "We heard a gigantic explosion. The earth shook and the sound was unbearable. I rushed to see what happened. It was horrific. Disfigured bodies all over the place, blood and body pieces."
The tragic accident has left many victims and is just the latest in a series of train derailments which occur fairly regularly worldwide, especially in countries where their train systems are ailing and lack proper maintenance. Recent derailments in the United States, however, prove that sometimes things just go wrong even when the tracks are well-maintained.
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/19591-At-Least-15-Killed-In-Egyptian-Train-Crash">At Least 15 Killed In Egyptian Train Crash</a>
The incident was declared a state of emergency by the Center for Blood Immunization who dispatched their blood collection vehicles to the surrounding villages of Rabat, Kenitra, Sale, and Sidi Bouknadel in search of blood donors for victims who have suffered blood loss as a result of their injuries.
The train is run by the state-owned company ONCF whose general director Mohamed Rabie Khlie visited the crash site but would not comment. The country's interior and transport ministers also visited the accident site but have not released a statement. Moroccan King Mohammed VI proclaimed he would pay the costs of victims' funeral expenses out of his own pocket according to state news agency MAP.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is footage of the aftermath of the train accident that happened on Tuesday, October 16th, between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rabat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rabat</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kenitra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kenitra</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bouknadel?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bouknadel</a>. The video contains graphic imagery.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Morocco?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Morocco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ONCFgroup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ONCFgroup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MAP_Information?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MAP_Information</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Elotmanisaad?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Elotmanisaad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MyHafidElalamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MyHafidElalamy</a> <a href="https://t.co/PgFqK92JTS">pic.twitter.com/PgFqK92JTS</a></p>— Morocco World News (@MoroccoWNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/MoroccoWNews/status/1052249464034000896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Source: https://www.apnews.com/bcc3b552af2b4c2eb8ae26d4581191a3
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