Tragic Train Collision with Tourist Bus Near St. Petersburg Claims One Life and Leaves 16 Injured

A freight train collided with a tourist bus at a level crossing northeast of St. Petersburg early on Monday, resulting in one fatality and 16 injuries, according to authorities.

The incident took place around 6 a.m. local time in the Lodeynopolsky District of the Leningrad region, as reported by October Railway, the regional railway company.

«The train operator initiated emergency braking, but it was inadequate to prevent the collision,» the railway stated in an announcement.

Law enforcement indicated that the train impacted the back of the bus, which was transporting members of a religious group en route to the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, a 15th-century Orthodox landmark located just south of the Republic of Karelia.

Russia’s Interior Ministry has launched a criminal investigation into potential breaches of traffic safety regulations and vehicle operation standards.