At least one passenger has been confirmed dead and dozens of others wounded in a head-on collision of passenger trains in the eastern area of South Korea on Tuesday, YTN and Yonhap News Agency reported.
Two passenger trains collided head-on at around 5:50 p.m. local time on a railway that runs along the east coast.
One train crashed into the front of the other that had stopped in the single track between Taebaek Station and Mungok Station on the Yeongdong Line, located in Teabaek, the eastern Gangwon Province.
The collision was estimated to be caused by a signal failure as one train passed by the Mungok Station without a stop. Trains are required to call at the single-track station where trains take turns to go by.
The exact cause of the collision was under investigation.
One female passenger in her 50s or 60s has been confirmed dead until now, and dozens of others wounded. The number of casualties was feared to increase because 65 passengers were taken to a nearby hospital.
A total of 103 people were on board the crashed trains.
Witnesses said the terrific explosion sound was heard when the trains collided.
The passengers escaped from the crashed trains through their own efforts. A number of fire engines and rescuers were dispatched to the site.