1994 Tolunda rail disaster

The 1994 Tolunda rail disaster happened near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province, Angola on 22 September 1994. A freight train of the Benguela railway derailed due to malfunctioning brakes and crashed into a 10 metres deep ravine. 300 people died and around 147 people were injured.

It is among the deadliest train disasters in history.

Background
The disaster took place during the Angolan Civil War, but the location of the disaster was largely outside the area of the civil war.

The disaster
On Thursday 22 September 1994 a freight of the Benguela railway was en voyage in Angola with a cargo of granite blocks and with many fare-dodgers onboard. Near Tolunda, in the Namibe Province 190 kilometres from Lubango, the train derailed and crashed into a ten meters deep ravine. The accident location was in a very remote area and as so the rescue operation and other help arrived very late.

Initial sources reported a death toll of 146 people. The final official death toll was published by the Angola Press News Agency a week after the disaster on 29 September. The disaster caused 300 casualties and 146 -147 others being injured. Most of the victims were inside the wagons with granite blocks.

The cause of the disaster was malfunctioning of the brakes.