Tourists who were on board a luxury South African Rovos Rail train that was involved in an accident near Gwanda last Friday, have arrived safely in the Zimbabwe resort town of Victoria Falls.
The tourists, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Zimbabwean government and various stakeholders for the support they received after their luxury train was involved in a horror accident with a goods train.
The visitors were in high spirits, eager to enjoy the beauty of Victoria Falls, despite the unfortunate events earlier in their journey.
“I am a tourist from the United Kingdom. Accidents happen everywhere, and we are just happy to finally be here. We thank everyone for the support. I am looking forward to a lot of fun the weather is lovely today. Victoria Falls is beautiful,” one tourist said.
“I cannot wait to enjoy Victoria Falls. I am happy to be here and sure I will have a great time. I am also excited to try local cuisines,” another traveller said.
“Zimbabwe is a great country, and Victoria Falls is truly a special place. I am glad to be here and witness it myself.
“It is great to be here. I am looking forward to seeing the natural beauty and hopefully spotting the Big Five. We truly appreciate all the support given to us throughout,” a third tourist said.
Derailed carriages
As reported by The South African website, the luxury Rovos Rail train was carrying foreign tourists to Zimbabwe for Easter when it collided with another locomotive.
The accident derailed carriages and injured several people on board, the operating company and a local rail employee confirmed.
Four crew members of the Rovos Rail train, which was going from Pretoria to the tourist hotspot of Victoria Falls, were hurt in the collision with a freight train in Zimbabwe, the luxury service’s spokeswoman Liezl Maclean said.
Click HERE to view more images from the horror crash (warning)
Images shared on social media showed rescue workers carrying a man on a stretcher through a gap in the mangled roof of the wreckage.
The incident in Zimbabwe’s southern town of Gwanda involved the Rovos Rail train and a freight train operated by the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway service.
At least 47 tourists were on the Rovos Rail train at the time of the accident, according to Maclean.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the accident.
Established in 1989, Rovos says it offers “bespoke train safaris through the heart of Africa,” with trips from South Africa’s Cape Town to Tanzania’s coastal city of Dar Es Salaam.
The Victoria Falls package features a three-or-four night 1 400km journey going from Pretoria in South Africa to Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo.
When last did you take a train trip?
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