At least 32 people were killed and more than 60 injured when a crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Thailand, local authorities reported. Among the injured, seven are in serious condition, and three people remain missing.

The accident occurred around 09:00 local time (04:00 GMT) on Wednesday in Sikhio district, northeast Thailand, when a crane at a construction site for a high-speed rail project fell onto the tracks, derailing two train carriages.

Thai Transport Minister Fifat Rachakitprakarn said the train was carrying 195 passengers at the time of the incident. The train was traveling between Bangkok, the capital, and Ubon Ratchathani province.

High-Speed Rail Project

The crane was part of a massive construction site for Thailand’s first high-speed rail line, a project that began in 2017 after a decade of delays. With an estimated budget of $5.4 billion, the rail network is expected to link Bangkok with Kunming in southern China via Laos. The project is backed by China as part of its New Silk Roads initiative, aimed at boosting trade and regional influence, and is operated by a Thai company with a history of safety incidents.

Italian-Thai Development, the company responsible for the project, and its CEO were among more than 20 people charged in connection with the collapse of an apartment building during an earthquake in Bangkok in August, which killed 90 people, mostly construction workers. The same company was also involved in a 2017 crane accident during the construction of Bangkok’s overhead subway system.

Safety Concerns

Accidents in construction and transport are relatively common in Thailand, often linked to lax enforcement of safety regulations. In 2020, 18 people were killed when a freight train collided with a bus carrying worshippers during a religious ceremony.