A train carrying chrome and granite plunged into a gorge near the border with Mozambique on Monday night, killing three crew members, the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) said in a statement.
The accident occurred around 9 p.m. local time between Mutare and Machipanda, about 300 kilometres east of the capital Harare, the statement said.
The locomotive, which was pulling 14 wagons, may have suffered a brake failure leading to a runaway, the NRZ said. The train failed to negotiate a sharp curve and fell into the gorge, trapping the crew members inside.
The NRZ did not disclose the identities of the victims, saying their next of kin had not been notified yet.
The NRZ board, management and staff expressed their sincere condolences to the families of the “hardworking, dedicated” crew members, who “shall always be remembered by the Railways family.”
“Our thoughts are with their families and we pray for God to comfort and strengthen them in these very difficult times,” the statement said.
The NRZ said investigations were still underway to determine the exact cause of the accident, after which full details would be disclosed.
The NRZ is the state-owned railway company of Zimbabwe, operating about 3,000 kilometers of rail network across the country. It has faced financial and operational challenges in recent years, resulting in poor service delivery and safety standards.
