Nine people remain in a critical condition following a train crash near Bedford, British Transport police have confirmed. Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi announced that of the 89 people injured in the incident, 28 are still receiving hospital treatment.
Fatalities and Injuries
One person, the driver of one of the East Midlands Railway trains involved, has died. The crash occurred at 5:15 pm on Friday when a train from Corby collided with the rear of a Nottingham service heading to St Pancras on the same track, causing at least one carriage to derail.
Union Reactions
Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), expressed devastation over the loss of a train driver who was a former RMT representative. He stated: 'The thoughts of RMT are with their family, friends, colleagues and the Aslef trade union at this awful time.'
Dave Calfe, general secretary of the train drivers' union Aslef, said: 'Our thoughts tonight are with the family and friends of the driver who died in the crash near Bedford and with the passengers who were injured in the accident. We want to thank the emergency services who responded so quickly to help those onboard.'
Royal Message
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King was 'greatly saddened' by the crash and is being kept regularly updated. A spokesperson said: 'His thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased and with all those injured or affected by such a tragic incident.'
Network Rail Statement
Network Rail released a statement on Saturday morning: 'We're deeply saddened that a railway colleague has tragically died following the incident near Bedford. Our thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues, and with everyone affected. Our teams are on site working closely with the emergency services and industry partners. We want to thank the emergency services and the wider railway family for their professionalism and swift response. In the meantime, we ask passengers to please check before they travel.'
Passenger Account
Dr Pete Knapp, a 40-year-old passenger, described the crash to Sky News as feeling like 'an explosion'. He added: 'People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.'
