Train crash in Indonesia leaves 15 women dead

Rescuers have finished removing victims from a damaged commuter train carriage, confirming that the crash outside Indonesia’s capital killed 15 people, all of whom were women.

The crash occurred on Monday when a long-distance train crashed into the rear carriage of the stopped commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station outside Jakarta. The carriage was one designated for women only, a common move to stop harassment.

A total of 88 injured people were taken to hospitals for treatment, said Bobby Rasyidin, chief executive of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia. The bodies of the dead were taken to a hospital for further identification.

Rescue teams completed the evacuation of all victims from inside the wreckage about mid-morning. “There are no further casualties,” said Mohammad Syafii, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

All 240 passengers on the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train were safe, officials said.

Police were investigating the cause of the accident, Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri told reporters at the scene.

The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation said in a written statement that authorities believe the incident began when another commuter train hit a stalled taxi near Bekasi Timur Station.

That led staff to stop a second commuter train at the station, where it was struck by a long-distance commuter train.

“As for the chronology of events, we are leaving it to the National Transportation Safety Committee to investigate the cause of tonight’s train accident in greater detail,” Mr Rasyidin said.

Accidents are common on Indonesia’s ageing rail network. In January 2024, two trains collided in West Java province, killing at least four people.