German train crashes into cows 01/05/2008 00:00

Regional train collides with a herd of cows in eastern Germany just days after a high-speed train hits a flock of sheep.

Berlin -- A German train slammed into a herd of cows in the eastern state of Thuringia on Tuesday, three days after a high-speed train was derailed by a flock of sheep, police and rail officials said.

No injuries were reported to the 30 passengers aboard the regional express, which was travelling at about 90 kilometres per hour when the accident occurred near the town of Arnstadt.

12 cows were killed on impact and another was put down by police.

On Saturday, a high speed ICE train ploughed into a flock of sheep in a tunnel while travelling at 220 kilometres per hour.

Most of the train was derailed and 19 passengers suffered injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones. 20 sheep were killed.

That accident took place near the city of Fulda in the state of Hesse in Germany's longest train tunnel.

While Germany's ICE trains are regarded as being extremely safe, the world's worst ever accident involving a high-speed train occurred in June 1998 when an ICE derailed as a result of a broken wheel near the town of Eschede.

The Eschede accident claimed 101 lives and left many more injured.

DPA