COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan passenger train derailed on Thursday after smashing into a family of elephants, with no passengers injured but six animals killed in the island´s worst such wildlife accident, police said.

The express train was travelling near a wildlife reserve at Habarana, some 180-kms east of the capital Colombo, when it hit the herd before dawn. Videos shot of the aftermath showed one elephant standing guard over an injured youngster lying beside the tracks, with the tips of their trunks curled together.

“Three baby elephants were among the six killed,” government spokesman and media minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters. “Elephants being runover by trains is something that is not uncommon, but our attention is focused on this case because of the sheer numbers.” Local police said two other elephants escaped with serious injuries.