Blog

May 30, 2023

How the India Train Crash Unfolded

By Weiyi Cai, Lazaro Gamio, Marco Hernandez, Scott Reinhard, Karan Deep Singh

By Weiyi Cai, Lazaro Gamio, Marco Hernandez, Scott Reinhard, Karan Deep Singh and Sameer YasirJune 4, 2023

Bahanaga

Bahanaga Bazar

rail station

Site of initial impact

Coromandel Express

passenger train

Freight train

carrying iron ore

Bahanaga

Bahanaga Bazar

rail station

Site of initial impact

Coromandel Express

passenger train

Freight train

carrying iron ore

Bahanaga

Bahanaga Bazar

rail station

Site of initial impact

Freight train

carrying iron ore

Coromandel Express

passenger train

The New York Times; aerial drone image via Reuters

Investigators of the deadly multi-train crash in India have focused on the possibility that it was caused by an electronic signal system failure. Here's how officials say the disaster unfolded.

◀ South to Chennai

North to Kolkata ▶

Other freight train

Second passenger train

Coromandel Express

Freight train with iron ore

◀ South to Chennai

North to Kolkata ▶

Other freight train

Second passenger train

Coromandel

Express

Freight train with iron ore

At around 7 p.m. local time, the Coromandel Express passenger train approached from the north at a speed of about 80 miles per hour. A second passenger train, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast Express, approached from the south at about the same time.

Other freight train

Second passenger train

(exact position unknown)

Possible signal

system failure

Coromandel

Express

Freight train with iron ore

Second passenger train

(exact position unknown)

Other freight train

Coromandel

Express

Possible signal

system failure

Freight train

with iron ore

The Coromandel Express veered onto an adjacent track occupied by an idled freight train that was loaded with iron ore. An Indian Railways official said that a problem with the signal system was most likely the overall cause of the crash, though investigations were still underway.

Other freight train

Second passenger train

(exact position unknown)

Coromandel

Express

Freight train with iron ore

Collision

Second passenger train

(exact position unknown)

Other freight train

Coromandel

Express

Freight train

with Iron ore

Collision

The Coromandel Express collides with the freight train. The cars at the front of the Coromandel jump off their tracks and form a mangled pile. More than 20 cars from the Coromandel are derailed.

Other freight train

Second passenger train

Freight train with iron ore

Derailed cars strike

second passenger train

Coromandel

Express

Other freight train

Freight train

with Iron ore

Derailed cars strike

second passenger train

The derailed cars from the Coromandel Express strike the second passenger train as it passes, causing two cars at the end of the second passenger train to derail.

The accident scene stretched more than a thousand feet.

Derailed cars from

second passenger train

Road crossing

Coromandel Express

passenger train

Bahanaga

Severe

damage

Freight train

carrying iron ore

Bahanaga Bazar

rail station

INDIA

Site of

accident

Odisha

250 feet

Derailed cars

from second

passenger train

Bahanaga

INDIA

Odisha

Site of

accident

Road crossing

Coromandel

Express

passenger

train

Severe

damage

Bahanaga

Bazar rail

station

Freight train

carrying iron ore

250 feet

250 feet

Coromandel

Express

passenger

train

Derailed cars

from second

passenger train

North

Road

crossing

Bahanaga

Severe

damage

Freight train

carrying iron ore

INDIA

Odisha

Bahanaga

Bazar rail

station

Site of

accident

Source: Approximate locations of train cars based on photographs and video from the scene.

The New York Times; satellite image by Airbus

Additional reporting by Mujib Mashal, Yuliya Parshina-Kottas, Karthik Patanjali and Alex Travelli.