9 died, 2 seriously wounded in car-train crash

Nine people died and two others in serious condition after a van they were taking clashed Sunday with a train on the outskirts of Iasi, northeastern Romania. The accident occurred at the crossing over the railway line. According to Silvia Bolohan, spokesman for local Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU), 11 people were found in the van, nine of them already died, when ISU teams started the vehicle extrication maneuvers. The two survivors, a 13 year-old and an adult were soon taken to hospital. The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver forced the crossing of the railway line, although he saw the approaching train. Witnesses said that the car was hit and dragged away several hundred meters by the train.