At least 18 killed in trains collision in Angola, including two Chinese

MOCAMEDES, Angola - At least 18 people, including two Chinese, were killed in a train collision in Bibala, Namibe Province in southern Angola on Tuesday, local authorities said.

The collision involved a rail maintenance train and a freight train. The two killed Chinese citizens were members of a rail maintenance team. The Chinese Embassy to Angola also confirmed the mishap.

The number of injured people rose to 14, among whom 10 were in critical condition, said Simao Joao Faisca, second commander of the civil and fire protection service in Namibe Province.

He said the freight train was carrying black granite of the Mocamedes Railway Company (CFM), while the maintenance train belonged to a Chinese company.

The CFM's CEO Daniel Quipaxe told reporters that the disaster happened at around 6:30 am local time (0530 GMT), and he said that the number of deaths may rise as some people were seriously injured.

The National Institute of Railways of Angola is investigating the accident.

A source from the local railway administration said that an official in charge failed to report the maintenance work on the railway track in time.