| 1994 Tolunda rail disaster | |
| Date: | 22 September 1994 |
| Location: | near Tolunda, Namibe Province |
| Country: | Angola |
| Owner: | Benguela railway |
| Trains: | 1 |
| Passengers: | hundreds of fare-dodgers |
| Deaths: | 300 |
| Injuries: | 146-147 |
The 1994 Tolunda rail disaster happened near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province, Angola on 22 September 1994. A freight train of the Benguela railway derailed due to malfunctioning brakes and crashed into a 10 metres deep ravine. 300 people died and around 147 people were injured.
It is among the deadliest train disasters in history.[1] [2]
The disaster took place during the Angolan Civil War, but the location of the disaster was largely outside the area of the civil war.
On Thursday 22 September 1994 a freight of the Benguela railway was en voyage in Angola with a cargo of granite blocks and with many fare-dodgers onboard.[3] Near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province 190 kilometres from Lubango, the train derailed and crashed into a ten meters deep ravine. The accident location was in a very remote area and as so the rescue operation and other help arrived very late.[4]
Initial sources reported a death toll of 146 people. The final official death toll was published by the Angola Press News Agency a week after the disaster on 29 September. The disaster caused 300 casualties and 146[5] -147[6] others being injured. Most of the victims were inside the wagons with granite blocks.
The cause of the disaster was malfunctioning of the brakes.