MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th August, 2020) The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), a trade union based in the United Kingdom, has called for increased efforts to ensure the safety of the country's railroad infrastructure after a train derailment in Scotland's Aberdeenshire left multiple people with injuries on Wednesday.
"It's far too early to speculate on what may have been contributing factors to this morning's tragic incident, but it is clear that every effort must be made to ensure the safety and integrity of our railway infrastructure and operations," TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said in a press release.
Cortes added that the union offers its sympathies to those who suffered injuries in the incident.
The derailment, which took place near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, was reported at 09:43 a.m. (08:43 GMT), the union said. According to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, multiple people have been seriously injured in the incident, and Scottish newspapers have reported that the driver has died and a second person is feared to have lost their life.
The TSSA said that the reason for the ScotRail train's derailment is not yet known. Domestic media outlets have reported that the incident took place after the train turned back after encountering a landslide.
Eastern Scotland was hit by torrential rain overnight that caused flash flooding. According to the Met Office, some regions received more than three inches of rain in a matter of hours, as severe thunderstorms brought heavy downpours.
