Swazi freight train crash kills two

James Hall MBABANE – Two Swaziland Railways cargo trains collided last Thursday night, resulting in two fatalities. It was the first fatal accident experienced by the line in a decade. Attributed to human error, the accident occurred near Nsoko, a rail junction in southeastern Swaziland, where the trains were supposed to have stopped. Gideon Mahlalela, CEO for Swaziland Railways, told FTW the line was not disturbed and there was no capsizing of the trains. “Regrettably the crew – the driver and assistant – of train No. 2704 passed on. The crew of train No.9801 – the driver and assistant – had minor injuries and have been discharged from hospital,” said Mahlalela The railway only handles freight, and has no passenger service. Mahlalela said the company’s safety record was generally good, and no accident of this week’s magnitude had been experienced in ten years. All the locomotives were insured.