The Indian Navy dispatched a medical and support team of 43 personnel from INS Chilka on Saturday (June 3), including surgical specialists, medical assistants, ambulances, and support services, according to news agency ANI. The injured are being treated by the medical team at the Balasore District Head Quarter Hospital. The teams are sent in collaboration with state officials. The death toll from Friday's triple train accident in Balasore, Odisha, rose to 288 as work to remove mangled coaches and repair tracks began.
Three trains were involved in the accident, which was one of the worst railway tragedies in the country: the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train.
According to reports available as of late Saturday afternoon, 288 people were killed in the accident.
News agency PTI quoted an official as saying that, "803 people were injured in the accident, including 56 who suffered serious injuries." The official added that the two express trains were carrying over 2,200 passengers with reserved tickets.
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According to the railways, the 12841 Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train in a loop line at Bahanaga Bazar station, which is located about 280 kilometres from Howrah and 171 kilometres from Bhubaneswar.
A loop line is a railway track connected to a mainline at both ends, where trains can be diverted to allow others to pass.
According to the railways, the impact caused 21 coaches of the train, which was travelling at full speed because it was not supposed to stop at the station, to be derailed, with three coaches falling on a nearby track, through which the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah express was simultaneously passing in the opposite direction.
The Bengaluru-Howrah train collided with the fallen coaches of the Coromandel Express on the down track, and its rearmost two coaches derailed, the railways said.
The railways announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died, Rs 2 lakh for those who were seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 for passengers who suffered minor injuries.