▲ A passenger train accident in Iran in 2016
A passenger train derails in eastern Iran, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 50, the Associated Press reported, citing local state TV.
The accident occurred early in the morning on a route connecting the city of Tabas, a city in the eastern desert region of Iran, and the central city of Yazd.
The accident site is around 50 km near Tabas, 550 km southeast of the capital, Tehran.
Immediately after the accident, rescue teams, including an ambulance and three helicopters, are working in a remote area with poor communication.
Authorities believe that 4 out of 7 derailed when the train collided with an excavator, and the exact cause of the accident is being investigated.
In Iran, there were also dozens of fatalities in a train accident in 2016.
Iran is a country with poor traffic safety, with about 17,000 deaths every year due to highway traffic accidents.
The Associated Press pointed out that the causes of large-scale traffic fatalities every year are broad disregard of traffic laws, vehicles that do not meet safety standards, and inadequate relief services.