Rescue operations concluded on Tuesday after extracting victims from a damaged car of a commuter train near Indonesia’s capital, resulting in the unfortunate death of 15 individuals, all of whom were women.
The incident took place on Monday when a long-distance train collided with the last car of a stationary commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station outside Jakarta. This particular car was designated exclusively for female passengers, a measure commonly implemented to combat harassment.
Bobby Rasyidin, the CEO of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, reported that a total of 88 injured individuals were transported to hospitals for medical attention. The deceased were transferred to a hospital for proper identification.
Rasyidin stated, “We are currently ensuring that all victims receive the best possible care.” Rescue teams successfully evacuated all victims 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 were unharmed. Investigations into the cause of the accident were being carried out by the police, as stated by Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri.
According to a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, the chain of events began with a collision between 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 remarked, “Regarding the sequence of events, we defer to the National Transportation Safety Committee for a detailed investigation into the cause of the train accident.” Incidents on Indonesia’s aging railway network are not uncommon, with a similar collision in West Java province claiming the lives of at least four individuals in January 2024.