Turkish train hits truck, seven dead

ANKARA - Seven people were killed and 19 injured today when a freight train ploughed into a truck in southeast Turkey, the state Anatolian news agency reported.

The accident occurred at a level crossing in the province of Hatay near the Syrian border. The truck had been carrying farm workers from a nearby province.

"Preliminary indications show the accident happened because the driver of the truck completely ignored the warnings that a train was approaching," the website of CNN Turk television quoted senior railway official Hasan Tahsin Koprulu as saying.

Careless driving and disregard for traffic safety rules claim thousands of lives in Turkey every year.

A former government minister and a lawmaker from Turkey's main opposition party were among scores of people killed in road accidents on Turkey's roads during a four-day religious holiday this week.

- REUTERS