Train Derailment Kills At Least 17 In Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – A passenger train has derailed in eastern Iran, killing at least 17 people and injuring 50 others. That’s according to initial reports on Iranian state television. The report said four of the seven cars in the train derailed in the early morning darkness near the desert city of Tabas. Tabas is some 550 kilometers southeast of Iran’s capital, Tehran. Rescue teams with ambulances and helicopters had arrived in the remote area where communication is poor. Over a dozen people suffered critical injuries, with some transferred to local hospitals. Three died en route, with another 10 dead at the scene. A cause remains under investigation, though initial reports suggested the train hit an excavator on the tracks.