One killed in Swiss train crash
By DPA, IANSFriday, July 23, 2010
BERLIN - A popular tourist train through the Swiss Alps derailed Friday, leaving at least one person dead and dozens more injured.
Forty-two people, mostly Japanese tourists, were injured when the last three cars of the Glacier Express jumped the track in Wallis canton. Twelve of those hurt suffered serious injuries.
The nationality of the person killed was not yet known.
The injured were evacuated on helicopters or ambulances and the rest of the passengers were taken to the nearby vacation spot of Fiesch.
Some 210 passengers were on board when the train derailed on a light left turn about 100 metre before a bridge. Two of the cars tipped over and another was left hanging down a slope, causing difficulties for rescue workers who had to stabilise it.
Officials were investigating the cause of the crash.
The Glacier Express makes the scenic seven-hour trip from Zermatt to Davos or St Moritz and is popular with tourists for its views. It passes through 91 tunnels and over 291 bridges.
