One Of The Deadliest Accidents In U.S. History Happened Right Here In Alabama

On September 22, 1993, one of the deadliest accidents in U.S. history took place in Mobile, Alabama. This deadly accident was the Big Bayou Canot train wreck, which, to date, is the deadliest train wreck in Amtrak’s history. This tragic accident is also the worst rail disaster in the U.S. since 1958.

Flickr/Clay Gilliland

The train involved in this accident was Amtrak's Sunset Limited. It was en route from Los Angeles, California to Miami, Florida. Three locomotives pulled the train's eight cars, which left Mobile at 1:30 a.m. and headed toward Birmingham. As the train traveled across Big Bayou Canot bridge going 70 mph, it suddenly derailed while most of the passengers and crew members slept.

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Wikipedia

At the time of the accident, 220 passengers and crew members were on board. Of those 220 people, 47 died and 103 were injured. The Mauvilla, a towboat, is what caused the accident. Pulling six barges of coal and wood down the Mobile River, the Mauvilla was driven into the Big Bayou Canot. It then struck the Big Bayou Canot bridge at 2:45 a.m. Tracks were knocked out of alignment by three feet. As the train derailed, its three locomotives and first four cars plunged into the swampy waters below. Sadly, the crew of the Mauvilla didn't make a rescue call until 3:08 a.m., the Coast Guard didn't arrive until 4:25 a.m., and it took an additional hour for a rescue helicopter to arrive.

For a closer look at the Big Bayou Canot train wreck, including actual footage, check out this video:

Were you already aware of this deadly train accident? Let us know in the comments!

For a list of 10 horrifying natural disasters that took place in Alabama, click here.