Outback train collision causes derailment

Australia's famous outback train derailed today (December 12th) as it neared the end of its two-day journey from Adelaide to Darwin.

None of the 82 passengers and crew were seriously injured, with only bumps and bruises reported.

The train collided with a vehicle at a level crossing near Ban Ban Springs, derailing 11 of the train's carriages.

Alan Stuart, spokesman for Great Southern Railways which operates the train, told the BBC: "We don't know why it came off the tracks. It's too early to tell.

"We are still in the process of obtaining that information as we speak and at this stage we are investigating."

The outback train is called the Ghan, named after Afghan riders who first began using the route after European colonisation.

The Ghan has travelled between Adelaide and Alice Springs since 1929 and an extension was opened in 2004 to extend the journey to Darwin, creating a train link from the north to the south of the country.