A highly coordinated operation deployed early Thursday morning allowed the 577 passengers of train number 16 Holguín-Havana to be transferred to their destinations, after the locomotive and the first car derailed in the community of Bartle, which belongs to the Las Tunas municipality.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- The Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, reported via Facebook that at 6:42 a.m., the transfer of all passengers was completed successfully, after they received immediate care. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, did not report physical injuries to the passengers.

The emergency response, he said, mobilized political and governmental authorities in this territory, along with the Health System, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Railway Directorate. A response was immediately activated, involving the provinces of Granma, Holguín, Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara, and Matanzas, in an unprecedented logistical effort for the region.

"The train crew and the various railway subsystems acted with due diligence," emphasized Reynaldo Reyes Silva, the provincial Transportation delegate. The protocol designed for these cases proved effective, ensuring not only the transportation of those already traveling on the train, but also passengers waiting at stations along the route to the capital.

The solution required mobilizing buses from national companies such as Transmetro and School Transport, as well as provincial companies and private MSMEs from Holguín and Granma, which provided the necessary vehicles and fuel. The Transportation System Cooperation Council in Las Tunas provided technical coordination and on-site operational supervision.

The head of the Ministry of Transportation (MITRANS) assured that comprehensive assistance was provided to those affected. The Las Tunas Gastronomy Directorate supplied food for passengers and crew, while Public Health guaranteed the presence of medical personnel and the implementation of the corresponding care protocols. The National Revolutionary Police (PNR), for its part, maintained order throughout the operations.

While the evacuation was underway, technical teams were already working to restore traffic on the central line, using all necessary means to repair the damage as quickly as possible, while an investigative commission is working to determine the causes and responsibilities for the incident.

Rodríguez Dávila stated that MITRANS will report on the progress made in the repair of this vital railway corridor through its official channels.