Link to photos: [news.bbc.co.uk]


April 23, 2010—South Africa's Rovos Rail will continue normal operations following a freak accident Wednesday in Pretoria, in which three staff members were killed.

Here is Rovos Rail's statement in its entirety, issued Thursday, April 22:

"At 10h30 on Wednesday 21 April, a Rovos Rail train en-route from Cape Town to Pretoria stopped at Centurion Station to change locomotives. The electric locomotives then uncoupled whilst our steam loco stood by to move on to the main line. The signalling system was temperamental and delayed this process by 45 minutes. While the steam loco was waiting for a signal change, the train started moving alongside it. At the time our train manager and a group of guests were waiting on the platform at the front to observe the locomotive change. On noticing the movement, the manager and loco staff applied handbrakes to three carriages, which was not enough to stop the momentum on the significant decline out of Centurion Station towards Pretoria. The train then proceeded for 10 km down to Pretoria Station where it derailed due to excessive speed across the points leading into the station. The occurrence is being investigated.

"On a very sad note three of our staff members died in the accident, while two were hospitalized. At this time one passenger is in hospital in a serious but stable condition, and six others are being treated for fractures.

"There were 19 carriages on the train of which 15 are damaged beyond repair. Clean-up activities are in progress and all vehicles are expected to be removed from the track by midnight tonight.

"The operation of the business will continue as usual with the Victoria Falls service having departed this morning [April 22] and Cape Town departing tomorrow afternoon [April 23]. The loss of the rolling stock is being assessed but all trains will be departing as planned."

Meanwhile, Mariette Du-Toit Helmbold, Cape Town Tourism CEO, issued the following statement April 22: "Yesterday's accident was the first of its kind in Rovos Rails' 21-year tenure. They have an impeccable safety record and management program. We believe that investigations into the accident are underway and we are confident that Rovos Rail will be able to overcome this tragic situation."