The 1994 Tolunda rail disaster happened near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province, Angola on 22 September 1994. A freight train of the Benguela railway derailed due to malfunctioning brakes and crashed into a 10 metres deep ravine. 300 people died and around 147 people were injured.
| 1994 Tolunda rail disaster | |
|---|---|
 Example of a 1990s Benguela railway freight train with fare-dodgers | |
| Details | |
| Date | 22 September 1994 |
| Location | near Tolunda, Namibe Province |
| Country | Angola |
| Owner | Benguela railway |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Passengers | hundreds of fare-dodgers |
| Deaths | 300[1][2] |
| Injured | 146[1]-147[2] |
It is among the deadliest train disasters in history.[3][4]
Background
editThe disaster took place during the Angolan Civil War, but the location of the disaster was largely outside the area of the civil war.[5]
The disaster
editOn Thursday 22 September 1994 a freight of the Benguela railway was en voyage in Angola with a cargo of granite blocks and with many fare-dodgers onboard.[6] Near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province 190 kilometres from Lubango, the train derailed and crashed into a ten meters deep ravine.[2] The accident location was in a very remote area and as so the rescue operation and other help arrived very late.[5]
Initial sources reported a death toll of 146 people.[5] The final official death toll was published by the Angola Press News Agency a week after the disaster on 29 September. The disaster caused 300 casualties and 146[1]-147[2] others being injured. Most of the victims were inside the wagons with granite blocks.[2]
The cause of the disaster was malfunctioning of the brakes.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "300 doden treinongeluk Angola". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). 30 September 1994 – via Delpher.
- ^ a b c d e f "Tol treinramp in Angola: 300 doden". Amigoe (in Dutch). 30 September 1994 – via Delpher.
- ^ "Notable International Rail Accidents". CNN. 22 October 2013.
- ^ "World's worst rail disasters". BBC. 19 December 2007.
- ^ a b c "Treinramp Angola". Trouw (in Dutch). 27 September 1994 – via Delpher.
- ^ Peter W. B. Semmens: Katastrophen auf Schienen. Eine weltweite Dokumentation. Transpress, p. 225, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-344-71030-3