South African luxury train operator Rovos Rail says it is cooperating fully with an investigation led by Namibian rail operator TransNamib following a recent rail incident, while confirming that its services in Namibia continue to operate.
Communications Manager Liezl Maclean said the company has operated on the TransNamib rail network for 28 years without any serious incidents and is working closely with the national operator as part of the investigation.
On Sunday, 1 March at 04h45, one of its trains travelling southbound from Windhoek was involved in an accident at Naute in Namibia, approximately 285 km from Ariamsvlei at the South African border. The cause was a washaway of the last span of a bridge, resulting in the loss of two locomotives and two utility coaches. The automatic brake system stopped the train, preventing further damage.
Two crew members, a Rovos Rail locomotive driver and the TransNamib locomotive pilot, were killed in the accident, while the rest of the crew and passengers did not sustain any injuries.
Maclean said all scheduled services remain operational, with safety protocols still firmly in place. She noted that Rovos Rail has maintained compliance with all rail safety regulations over its 37 years of operation and continues to prioritise the well-being of passengers and staff.
The company has, however, implemented contingency measures to manage disruptions caused by infrastructure damage along the route. Where a damaged bridge cannot be used, an alternative arrangement has been introduced, affecting only one day of the journey.
As part of this plan, a second train has been dispatched from Cape Town to support the northbound service. Passengers disembark for their excursion to the Fish River Canyon, while their luggage is transferred to another Rovos Rail train positioned on the opposite side of the affected section. The transfer is conducted during the excursion to minimise disruption.
Rovos Rail operates between eight and ten journeys to Namibia annually. Local media reports said TransNamib was planning to interview nine people as part of its investigation, which was expected to start soon. The inquiry is expected to take place in Keetmanshoop in southern Namibia.
The media reports said at least seven officials expected to testify include a senior train operations supervisor, a train controller, a chief civil engineer, a regional engineer, a chief of track maintenance, and a technical supervisor.
Written by Chamwe Kaira for Railways Africa
