Train from Guantánamo Derails in Matanzas, Injuring Passengers

A train traveling from Guantánamo to Havana derailed this Wednesday near the Bellamar Caves road in the city of Matanzas. Preliminary reports from the local state-run newspaper, Girón, indicate that the accident, which occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m., resulted in injuries to at least three individuals.

Rafael Roldan Simon, a member of the train's crew, reported that an emergency was declared due to track defects near the Bellamar Caves. The derailment affected seven cars and damaged approximately 250 meters of railway track.

Among the injured were a passenger and two train attendants, who were taken to the Comandante Faustino Pérez Provincial Hospital with minor injuries. Emergency responders, transportation authorities, and medical teams quickly arrived at the scene to aid those affected and assess the damage to the railway infrastructure. Fortunately, no fatalities have been confirmed at this time.

The more than 820 passengers aboard the train are being transported to the Matanzas train and bus terminals to continue their journey to Havana. Just days ago, another railway accident occurred in Baraguá, Ciego de Ávila, when a passenger train collided with a private car attempting to cross the tracks. Luckily, there were no casualties or injuries in that incident.

Railway accidents in Cuba are often attributed to inadequate signaling at rail crossings, human errors, and the deterioration of the railway infrastructure. Additionally, poor maintenance and external factors such as vandalism further contribute to these incidents.