26 killed in Russian train crash

Uglovka, Russia : Russian officials opened a terrorism investigation yesterday, saying that a homemade bomb planted on the tracks of the high-speed Moscow-to-St Petersburg route caused a derailment that killed at least 26 people and injured dozens more.

The head of Russia's Federal Security Service, Alexander Borotnikov, was quoted by the Interfax and RIA Novosti news as saying that an improvised explosive device equivalent to 7kgs of TNT had detonated when the train passed over it Friday night. Remains of the device were found at the site of the crash, Borotnikov said.

"Indeed, this was a terrorist attack," Interfax cited Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for federal prosecutors, as saying.

If terrorism is confirmed, the train derailment would be Russia's deadliest terrorist strike outside the volatile North Caucasus region in years. The high-end train was popular with government officials and Russian business executives.

President Dmitry Medvedev called for calm, saying "we need there to be no chaos, because the situation is tense as it is".

Rescue effort

Witness accounts appeared to back up reports of a bomb blast.

"It was immensely scary. I think it was an act of terrorism because there was a bang," passenger Vitaly Rafikov told Channel One state television. Uninjured in the accident, he helped with the rescue, hauling victims from the wreckage and lighting fires for warmth.

The last three carriages of the 14-car Nevsky Express careered off the tracks on Friday night as the train approached speeds of 200km/h, officials said.

There were 661 passengers were on the train when it derailed near the border of the Novgorod and Tver provinces.

The rural area is 402 kilometres northwest of Moscow and 250kms southeast of St Petersburg.

Reports on the death toll varied. Health Minister Tatyana Golikova said at least 26 people were killed, 18 were missing and nearly 100 were injured and hospitalised in the derailment. The Prosecutor General's office said the death toll had risen to 30, with 60 others in the hospital.

Police and prosecutors swarmed over the disaster site yesterday and restricted access to what was reported to be a bomb crater. Rescue workers scoured the wreckage, searching for the missing, as two huge cranes lifted up pieces of twisted metal.

Their efforts were hampered later yesterday when a small explosion was heard, forcing Russia's security services to close rail links between the two main cities that had been partially reopened, Interfax reported. There was no elaboration.

Battered

Passenger Igor Pechnikov described being in the second of the three derailed cars.

"A trembling began, and the carriage jolted violently to the left. I flew through half of the carriage," he said.

A battered railway carriage lay on its side across the tracks yesterdayy, while baggage and metal debris were scattered in the mud. Emergency workers wrapped up in blankets and huddled around fires as a light rain started to fall.

Terrorism has been a major concern in Russia since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, as Chechen rebels have clashed with government forces in two wars and Islamist separatists continue to target law enforcement officials.

If terrorism is confirmed, it would not be the first time the Moscow-St Petersburg rail line has been attacked.