At least eight people were injured when two passenger trains collided in Austria on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The incident occurred at Kritzendorf, north of the capital city Vienna a little before 6 p.m. local time.

“An S40 rapid transit railway set collided with a REX Train on a four-track section laterally, whereby at least two double-deck coaches of the regional train fell over,” a spokesman for the railroad told Sputnik News.

A third train car was leaning to one side, officials said.

Four people were reported seriously injured, and the other four injuries were more minor, Infrastructure Minister Norbert Hofer told the Austria Press Agency. One person was taken to a Vienna hospital via helicopter with head injuries, according to Hofer.

The point of impact appeared to be the sides of both trains, which were heading in the same direction when they derailed, Hofer said.

“We suspect that the cause is to be found in human error, not in a technical defect, but that will be verified in the coming days,” he added.

The trains were evacuated by just after 7:30 p.m.

Austrian media had initially said 17 people were wounded during the collision.

With Post wires