Cameroon train was going 'abnormally' fast before crash

Oct 26, 2016

Two Ugandan pastors are among the 80 people that died in the train crash on Friday in Cameroon

The train that derailed in Cameroon last week killing 79 people was travelling "abnormally" fast before the crash, a senior executive from the rail operator's French parent company told AFP on Tuesday.

"On part of the tracks approaching the station where the derailment occurred, we had speeds that were abnormally high compared to the speeds we should have had," said Eric Melet, head of Bollore Africa Railways.

Two Ugandan pastors are among the 80 people that died in the train crash on Friday in Cameroon.

The accident occurred near the central town of Eseka ; 120km west of the capital Yaoundé.

Pastors Nathan Tumusiime and Nicodemus Nuwasiima from City Prayer Towers in Mbarara were identified among the dead. The duo had gone on an evangelical mission in the West African country.

Their bodies are still in Cameroon and families have are appealing to government and well-wishers to help in repatriating the bodies.

According to Anna Tumwine, wife to Tumusiime, her husband had spent over a month in Cameroon preaching the gospel.

"It's a hard moment. I don't know what to say for now. I am just praying that we get a breakthrough and return his body to the country," said Tumwine who was flanked by different pastors from Mbarara churches who had gathered at the deceased's home in Biharwe.

A judicial enquiry has been launched into the accident which also injured about 550 people.

Melet said trains travelled at between 40 and 50 kilometres per hour in "slow zones" such as approaches to railway stations.

"But we have indications which seem to show that the approaching train was travelling at between 80-90 kilometres an hour when it should have been much less."

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