Death Toll Hits 103 in India Train Wreck

The confirmed death toll in a train wreck in southern India rose to 103 on Saturday as divers using blowtorches cut open a railway car and found 13 more bodies, officials said.

The rescue operation stretched into Saturday night as divers searched for more victims beneath the sunken coaches in Lake Asthamudi, in Kerala state.

At least 103 bodies have been recovered, said Abdul Latif, a senior official in Quilon, a town near the accident site. He said that 167 people were hospitalized and that about 500 others were treated for injuries. More than 1,000 police and navy personnel were involved in the search.

Nine Cars Derailed

Nine cars of the crowded 14-car Island Express tumbled toward the lake Friday afternoon after the train derailed crossing a bridge. Six coaches were partly or fully submerged, and three hung into the water from the bridge 15 feet above.

It was not known how many people were on the train, which had a capacity of 1,700 people. Survivors said it was extremely crowded.

Railway Minister Madhav Rao Scindia ordered a formal inquiry into the accident. He announced that victims’ families would be given 100,000 rupees, or $7,142, in compensation.

During a news conference in Quilon, he refused to comment on the cause of the accident.

Bridge Break Reported

Government television and Indian news agencies reported that a cave-in on the 540-foot bridge caused the derailment.