At least nine people have been killed and dozens more injured after a high-speed train in Turkey struck a railway engine and crashed into a pedestrian overpass at a station in the capital, Ankara.

Key points: Four people have died and at least 43 people have been injured

Four people have died and at least 43 people have been injured Rescue teams are searching for more survivors

Rescue teams are searching for more survivors The cause of the crash is unknown

Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin said that the high-speed train was travelling to the central province of Konya when the crash occurred about 6.30am on Thursday (local time).

So far, nine people have been confirmed dead and 47 people injured, with three of those people in a serious condition.

At least two cars derailed in the accident, with parts of the overpass then collapsing onto the train.

The engine was checking the tracks at the capital's small Marsandiz station at the time.

Officials said it was not immediately clear if a signalling problem caused the fatal crash. ( Reuters: Tumay Berkin )

Three engine drivers and six passengers were killed in the crash, Transport Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan said.

One of the passengers died from their injuries after being hospitalised, while others were killed at the scene.

Mr Turhan said everyone had been removed from the debris and no one else was believed to be trapped.

The Hurriyet newspaper said sniffer dogs assisted efforts to find any survivors.

Rescue teams have removed everyone from the debris. ( Reuters: Tumay Berkin )

Video footage from the scene shows rescue workers trying to free people who were trapped in beneath the mangled metal wreckage of the overpass at the Marsandiz train station.

"Our hope is that there are no other victims," he said.

It was not immediately clear if a signalling problem caused the crash.

Mr Sahin said a technical inspection has begun while NTV television, quoting unnamed officials, said three prosecutors were assigned to investigate.

It is the second fatal train crash in Turkey this year.

In July, 10 people were killed and more than 70 injured when a passenger train derailed in north western Turkey, after torrential rains caused part of the rail tracks to collapse.

Loading

Last month, 15 people were injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train in Turkey's central province of Sivas.

Konya — about 260 kilometres south of Ankara — is home to the tomb of the Sufi mystic and poet Jalaladdin Rumi, attracting thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

The crash occurred during an annual week of remembrance for Rumi when many travel to Konya to watch Whirling Dervishes perform.

Reuters/AP