Several people killed in train-van accident in Hungary – UPDATE

Several people died and others were injured when a van drove in front of a train in Mindszent, in southern Hungary, on Tuesday morning, police said on their website.

The accident took place just before 7am at a rail crossing in the town centre when the van drove onto the rails and collided with a train from Szentes to Hódmezővásárhely. The train derailed and careened into a ditch 60 metres from the site of the impact, while five out of the van’s seven passengers died at the scene.

Police closed the road to aid inspection and rescue efforts, while an ambulance helicopter was dispatched to the site.

Firefighters were alerted to the scene, while the rescue was coordinated by the Disaster Management Operations Service.

Pál Győrfi, spokesman for the National Ambulance Service, told MTI: ten ambulances and one helicopter arrived at the scene of the accident.

He added that five men died at the scene of the accident, while rescuers transported two men to hospital with serious injuries to their heads and limbs.