Rescue operations successfully concluded the extraction of victims from a train car involved in an incident near Indonesia’s capital, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of 15 individuals, all of whom were women.
The collision transpired on Monday when a long-distance train collided with the rear car of a stationary commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station outside Jakarta. The specific car was designated for female passengers only, a measure commonly implemented to deter harassment.
According to Bobby Rasyidin, the CEO of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, a total of 88 individuals sustained injuries and were promptly transported to hospitals for medical attention. The deceased were transferred to a medical facility for formal identification.
Rasyidin stated, “We are currently ensuring that all victims receive the best possible care.” Rescue teams successfully evacuated all individuals from the wreckage by mid-morning, with Mohammad Syafii, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, confirming no additional casualties.
Officials reassured that all 240 passengers aboard the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train remained unharmed. Investigations into the accident’s cause are ongoing, as confirmed by Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri.
The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation released a statement indicating that the incident likely originated from a prior collision involving a commuter train and a stalled taxi near Bekasi Timur Station. Subsequently, a second commuter train was halted at the station, where it was struck by the long-distance train.
Rasyidin mentioned, “As for the sequence of events, we defer to the National Transportation Safety Committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the train accident.” Notably, accidents are frequent on Indonesia’s aging railway network, with a previous incident in January 2024 involving a collision between two trains in West Java province that resulted in at least four fatalities.