July 22, 2002	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 11,1423

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ROME, July 21: Eight people were killed and 47 injured when a Venice-bound train veered off the rails in Sicily, a police spokesman said Sunday.

Officials said at least 12 were hospitalized in a serious condition.

Italian authorities ordered an inquiry into the cause of disaster. The train had left the Sicilian capital Palermo and was approaching the northeastern town of Messina just before 7:00 pm on Saturday when it jumped the tracks.

The train was to have crossed the Messina strait on a ferry and was due to reach Venice on Sunday morning.—AFP