At least five people were killed and several others injured today when two regional trains collided head-on in southwest Germany.
A spokesman for the rail network Deutsche Bahn cited emergency services as saying five people had been killed, including two engineers, in the accident near Schrozberg.
At least another 13 were "slightly or moderately" injured, the company said in a statement. A total of 18 passengers were on the two trains, each of which had four cars.
The trains were travelling in opposite directions when they crashed on the single-track line between the towns of Crailsheim and Bad Mergentheim, Deutsche Bahn said. One of the wagons tipped over.
Police were unable to give an immediate cause for the collision. A crisis centre was set up.
The Deutsche Bahn spokesman said the trains were on the line as planned, but could not explain why they collided. The rail line has been closed.
AFP