Thailand Rail Tragedy: Crane Collapse on Moving Passenger Train Leaves Over 30 Dead

More than 30 people were killed, and over 60 were injured on Wednesday morning when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand, causing a fiery derailment and widespread devastation across the crash site.

The accident occurred at approximately 9 a.m. local time as the Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani passenger service was passing through the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province. The train was carrying 195 passengers and staff when the crane—part of an elevated high‑speed rail construction project—fell directly onto the second and third carriages, tearing them from the tracks and sparking a brief fire.

Emergency responders from multiple agencies rushed to the scene, where several carriages lay overturned and mangled beside the tracks. Thick smoke rose from the wreckage as firefighters worked to extinguish flames and rescue teams searched for survivors. Many passengers were trapped inside the crushed compartments, and officials confirmed that most of the fatalities occurred in the carriages struck directly by the falling crane.

The Thai Ministry of Public Health reported that at least 31–32 people had died, with more than 60 others injured, seven of them in critical condition. Victims ranged widely in age, including a one‑year‑old child and elderly passengers. Injured survivors were transported to multiple hospitals across the province for urgent treatment.

Witnesses described a sudden, violent impact. One survivor recounted being thrown into the air as the crane sliced into the train at high speed, while another said the carriage “was torn off the tracks” as metal debris rained down around them.

Authorities confirmed that the crane was being used for the Thai–Chinese high‑speed rail project, a major infrastructure initiative intended to link Bangkok with northeastern Thailand and eventually connect to Laos and China. Officials said the section involved was under construction by a Thai contractor, and a full investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the collapse.

Rescue operations continued throughout the day as teams worked to recover bodies, assist survivors, and stabilize the site. Images released by authorities and local media showed overturned carriages, twisted steel, and sections of the crane hanging precariously between concrete support pillars—visuals that have drawn national and international attention to the scale of the disaster.

The Thai government has pledged a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, with transport officials emphasizing the need to review safety protocols across ongoing rail construction projects.