ANKARA - Turkish Transportation Ministry announced early on Friday the death toll in the train crash as 36.
A statement of the Ministry said that 36 people died and 43 others were injured as the high-speed train derailed en route from Istanbul to Ankara.
The crisis center formed by Turkish Health Ministry had earlier announced that 139 died and 74 others wounded as the high-speed train`s cars went off the tracks near Pamukova town of northwestern Sakarya province.
The statement of the Transportation Ministry said that the cause of the derailment was still unknown.
There were 234 passengers and 12 personnel on the five-car train, the statement noted.
The statement said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim went to the scene of the crash immediately after the train had derailed.
A technical team had reached the area to investigate the cause of the derailment, the statement added.
On the other hand, Bilecik Governor Ayhan Cevik said, ``according to preliminary reports, 36 died, 60 wounded and 45 survived the train crash.``
(BRC) 23.07.2004