64 people hospitalized after Malaysia train collision, 6 critical

ANKARA

At least 64 passengers are in hospital after a train collision in Malaysia’s capital on Monday night.

The two light rail transit (LRT) trains collided in a tunnel between the KLCC and Kampung Baru stations in Kuala Lumpur at around 8:45 p.m. (1245GMT), according to local media reports.

Only one of the trains was carrying passengers, as the other was on a test run following a fault and had just one driver, state-run Bernama news agency reported.

Some 166 people survived the crash with minor injuries, the report said.

Of the 64 people hospitalized, six are critically injured, 15 are in semi-critical condition, and the remaining 43 are non-critical, Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa said on Tuesday morning, according to daily Malay Mail.

Three of the six critically injured patients have been “intubated,” the minister said.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the accident, which is the first in over 23 years of the LRT operating in Malaysia.

State-run public transport operator Prasarana Malaysia Berhad will pay 1,000 Malaysian ringgit ($240) in compensation to each of the 213 people affected in the accident.