His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has sent condolences to King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand following a tragic train accident in Nakhon Ratchasima province that resulted in multiple fatalities. This message was reported by the website of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations.

The accident occurred on January 14 in the Sikhiu area of northeastern Thailand, when a passenger train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani collided with a construction crane that had fallen onto the tracks. The train derailed and partially caught fire. Authorities report that over 30 people lost their lives, with dozens more injured.

In his message, Patriarch Kirill expressed profound sorrow upon hearing the news of this tragedy. He offered condolences to the King and the people of Thailand, particularly to the families of the deceased, and wished a swift recovery to the injured while encouraging those affected by the tragedy to find spiritual strength.

According to Thai authorities, approximately 200 passengers were aboard the train at the time of the incident. The crash was attributed to the collapse of a crane involved in the construction of a high-speed rail line. The government has ordered a thorough investigation into the accident and has committed to providing compensation to the families of the victims and those injured.