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| Situation Update No. 1 Ref.no.: LS-20100326-25462-AUS
Situation Update No. 1
On 2010-03-26 at 09:13:56 [UTC]
Event: Landslide
Location: Australia State of Queensland Kurunda Number of Injured: 6 person(s)
Situation: Investigators are trying to determine how a landslide derailed an historic tourist train in far north Queensland, injuring six people. The Kuranda Scenic Railway train, with 224 passengers on board, derailed at Kuranda, near Cairns, about 10.30am (AEST) on Friday following a minor landslide. Six passengers were taken to Cairns base hospital for treatment. Among the injured was a two-year-old boy, who suffered head injuries, a woman, 61, with knee and shoulder injuries and a man, 25, received a cut to the head, the Department of Community Safety said. The remaining passengers were transported to Cairns by a second locomotive, according to Queensland Rail (QR). QR said there were two routine morning inspections of the track and the incident occurred during the second passenger service of the day. QR's passenger executive general manager Paul Scurrah said they were working with police and rail investigators to determine how the accident occurred. "Our number one priority at this stage is making sure all of our passengers are okay and that they have all the help and support they need," Mr Scurrah said. "At this stage it is too early to say when the line will be reopened and services will resume." The railway opened in 1891 and is considered an engineering marvel, traversing 37 bridges and 37 tunnels through World Heritage-listed rainforest. |  | | | |
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