Luena - A sulphur-laden train belonging to the Lobito Atlántico Railways (LAR) consortium, heading for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), derailed on Thursday in eastern Moxico province, ANGOP has learnt.
The train that departed from the port of Lobito, Benguela province, derailed at around 4am in the town of Cavimbi, 127 kilometers from Luena city.
A source told ANGOP that a technical team from the LAR left for the spot to assess the damage caused by the accident, which fortunately caused no fatalities.
CFB suspends ticket sales
As a result of the train derailment, the Benguela Railroad (CFB) has suspended the sale of tickets for the Luena/Kuito route scheduled for Thursday and that it may be resumed, after the railway is assessed and repaired.
“So far we don't know how many meters of the line have been damaged, so we'll have to wait,” the source said.
In recent times, passengers on CFB trains have reported various difficulties in traveling from Luena to Bié-Huambo and Benguela provinces due to the limited seats available.
Faced with this situation, the CFB management said it will spend three million dollars to repair and replace the seats of 50 carriages from South Africa.
Due to the lack of a road on the route between Luau - Luena and Kuito, in Bié province, trains have been the only means of transportation for the population living in this corridor, as well as others from Lunda-Sul and Lunda-Norte provinces. TC/YD/TED/AMP
