Congo freight train derailment kills 75 in south

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Officials in Congo say at least 75 people have died after a train derailed in ther southern Lualaba province in Kinteta village. Lualaba’s minister of interior Deodat Kapenda said the toll from the freight train derailment last week rose from 60 to at least 75 over the weekend. He said that those dead were likely illegal stowaways. At least 125 people were also injured and have been taken to two hospitals in the region. Train derailments are common in Congo where rail lines and carriages are not well maintained. People will often hop on freight trains to travel long distances because of a lack of good roads and passenger trains in the country.