At least 27 hurt in Japanese train collision

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- At least 27 people were injured Sunday and one person may have been killed after two trains collided head-on along the Sea of Japan coast, Japanese media reported.

The accident took place in Matsuoka, Fukui Prefecture, about 350 kilometers (220 miles) west of Tokyo, and the drivers of the two one-car trains seemed to be the most seriously injured, the Mainichi Shimbun reported on its Japanese language news service.

Rescue workers at the scene reported that the heart of one of the drivers had stopped, it said.

The accident happened at 1:30 p.m. local time (0430 GMT) as the trains were between stations. Authorities said one of the trains failed to stop at a station.

Officials said it was unknown if mechanical problems played a part in the crash. Trains in Japan, where the bullet train made its debut in the 1960s, typically are recognized for their safety and punctuality.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

See related sites about Asia

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.