Three die in Latvian train crash

Casualties occurred in the commuter train's front carriage (photo: Russia TV)

Three people died and 24 were injured in a train collision in the Latvian capital, Riga.

An empty Moscow to Riga train reversing towards a depot collided with a commuter train on Wednesday.

The front carriage of the first train has been seriously damaged, and it took several hours for rescue teams to access its interior.

Investigators say that the collision occurred because one of the drivers failed to notice red stop lights.

Twelve people have been rushed to hospitals from the scene, three of them in a serious condition. Another 12 suffered light injuries and went home after receiving first aid.

The fate of the commuter train driver is still unclear. Latvian news agency Delfi said rescuers were still unable to release him from the wreckage.

"One person is still reported to be trapped inside one of the trains. The rescuers are trying to free his foot which has been trapped between the iron parts of the crashed train car," State Firearms and Rescue service Aivars Straume told AFP.

The Latvian state railway company LDz has taken "full responsibility" for the accident.

This is the third major transport accident in Latvia in the last few months.

In December, nine people were killed and 17 injured when an intercity bus crashed into a tree.