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3 dead, 33 injured in Yamagata Pref. train derailment+(Japan Economic Newswire)YAMAGATA, Japan, Dec. 26_(Kyodo) _ Three people died and 33 others were injured when a six-car express train heading to Niigata from Akita derailed and three cars overturned Sunday night in Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture, authorities said Monday. The three passengers killed -- two women and a man -- were among five people trapped inside the first car, which lied overturned on the ground, police said. The third victim, a woman, was pulled out of the train early Monday. All six cars of the Inaho No. 14 train derailed and the first three cars overturned at around 7:15 p.m. between Sagoshi and Kita-Amarume stations on the JR East Uetsu Line, the train operator East Japan Railway Co. said. The derailment is believed to have occurred after the train was hit by strong winds while crossing a bridge over the Mogami River, officials of the Niigata branch of the railway operator said. A severe snowstorm warning has been issued in the area and a maximum wind speed of 77.76 kilometers per hour was registered shortly before the derailment in the city of Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, which is about 6 km from the accident site, the Yamagata Meteorological Observatory said. JR East said there was a report that the train driver, who survived the incident, applied manual brakes after hearing an unusual sound. Due to the snow, the train had been more than one hour behind schedule and had left Sakai station, its previous stop, at 7:08 p.m., JR East said. The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry will dispatch members of the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Committee to the scene of accident on Monday. |