Over 120 hurt in Australian train derailment

A high-speed train derailment in eastern Australia has injured more than 120 passengers after carriages hit trees and ploughed…

A high-speed train derailment in eastern Australia has injured more than 120 passengers after carriages hit trees and ploughed through fields.

The train, with 157 passengers and seven crew on board, came off the tracks about 250 miles north of Queensland's state capital Brisbane en route to Cairns. Medical staff said it was a miracle nobody was killed.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has begun an investigation.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said: "The train is just a twisted wreck, it's an absolute bloody mess."

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Some carriages almost slid on to the adjacent Bruce Highway, the major east coast road.

The injured included 35 people being treated for major injuries and two listed in a serious condition, according to Queensland state's health department.

The Tilt Train, so called because it leans into turns so it can run faster, can travel at speeds of up to 100 mph. It was not immediately known if the train was travelling at full speed when it derailed.