Good Morning Britain was abruptly interrupted on Wednesday, 14 January, as presenters delivered what they described as "terrible" and "awful" breaking news to viewers.
Breaking News: A Deadly Collision
Studio correspondent Ranvir Singh, alongside hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, reported that a catastrophic construction accident in Thailand had claimed the lives of at least 22 people. The incident involved a crane, which was being used to build a new railway line, collapsing onto a moving passenger train.
The train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani when the disaster struck. Rescuers immediately rushed to the scene to search for survivors potentially trapped in the wreckage.
Scene of Devastation and Heroic Accounts
The scale of the tragedy became clearer as details emerged. Over 80 individuals suffered injuries, with 55 receiving initial treatment at Sikhio hospital. Among the wounded was a one-year-old child, believed to be the youngest victim, while the eldest affected passenger was 59.
Although most injuries were minor, six people were critically injured and had to be transferred to other medical facilities for specialist care.
Train crew member Thirasak Wongsoongnern provided a harrowing account to local media. He revealed the train was moving at about 120km/h when the crane, which had been lifting a large concrete segment, dropped its load onto the carriages.
"The impact threw passengers into the air," he described. Wongsoongnern tried to help others but was unable to reach the second carriage as it was already on fire.
Local Reaction and Ongoing Aftermath
A local resident, Mitr Intrpanya, told the AFP news agency he heard a loud noise followed by two explosions. Upon investigating, he found the crane sitting atop the three-carriage train.
"The metal from the crane appeared to strike the middle of the second carriage, slicing it in half," he said, illustrating the sheer force of the impact.
Back in the UK, Good Morning Britain viewers reacted with shock to the bulletin, with one calling it "really awful" and another simply stating "Terrible." The programme continues to air weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
