Indian Train Collision Kills Dozens

CNN.com:

NEW DELHI, India -- Indian railway officials say at least 27 people are dead and another 50 injured after a head-on collision between two passenger trains.

Indian media reports say an express train and a local train collided at around noon [1:30am EST] on Tuesday along a stretch of rural track in the northern state of Punjab.

Railway sources have told the Press Trust of India that 27 bodies have been pulled out from badly-damaged coaches.

The Times of India indicates an eyewitness reported at least 50 people died and four cars on both trains were completely destroyed. Fog may have contributed to the accident which occurred between the cities of Jalandhar and Pathankot, northwest of New Delhi. However, an Indian Railways spokesman blames a communication failure.

According to Reuters, train travel in India is high risk, with about 300 accidents occurring yearly.