Head-on train collision injures 245 in Costa Rica

SAN JOS: Two trains collided head-on outside the Costa Rican capital San Jose Friday, injuring some 245 people, officials said.

Although most of the injuries were light, television images showed rescue workers rushing some victims to the hospital.

The authorities did not immediately indicate what caused the crash, but initial evidence “points to human error,” rail authority chief Guillermo Santana said.

“We will spare no resources in getting to the bottom of this,” he told journalists.

The collision occurred in the western suburb of Pavas Friday morning.

Costa Rica has an aging railroad system crisscrossed by busy roads, and accidents are frequent.

However, the country had seen no head-on train collisions since it relaunched its old urban rail system 11 years ago after a decade of inactivity. -AFP