Odisha Train Crash: US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin Expresses Grief Over Loss Of Lives

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin, who will be on a 2-day visit to India, said he will convey condolences in person 'when I meet with senior leaders in India in the coming days.'

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin on Odisha train accident

Source : Getty/PTI

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin expressed grief over the loss of lives in Odisha train mishap which has claimed the lives of 288 people and left more than 900 people wounded with 56 seriously injured. “Deeply saddened to hear of the tragedy in Balasore. Our hearts go out to our partners in India,” he said, adding “I will convey our condolences in person when I meet with senior leaders in India in the coming days.” Lloyd is scheduled for a two-day visit to India starting Sunday where he will meet with Union defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Several world leaders reacted to the triple train accident after at least 10 to 12 coaches of Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed and encroached on to the opposite track, which led to the derailment of 3-4 coaches of train travelling from Yeshwanthpur to Howrah and a third freight train also colliding on Friday night near Bahanaga Railway Station in Odisha’s Balasore district. 

Deeply saddened to hear of the tragedy in Balasore. Our hearts go out to our partners in India.

I will convey our condolences in person when I meet with senior leaders in India in the coming days.

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 3, 2023

On Saturday. US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said, “On behalf of the U.S. Mission in India, I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic train accident in Balasore. We stand with India and the people of Odisha in this time of grief.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto, and Afghanistan's Taliban government on Saturday sent a message of condolence over the loss of life in the train accident, one of the worst in the last 20 years in India.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen also offered their condolences to bereaved families of the deceased. 

Australia, Maldives, and Turkey also issued statements reacting to the tragic incident.