A passenger train derailed in Turkey Sunday, killing at least eight people and injuring about 50 others, CNN-Turk reported.

It was at least the fifth major train wreck in the nation in the past four years.

The train was on its way from Istanbul to the western city of Denizli when it derailed near the city of Kutahya, CNN-Turk said.

Authorities could not immediately say what caused several cars of the trail to roll over. They also did not know how many people were on board at the time.

Rescuers had not pulled out all the passengers from the overturned cars, and the casualty figures may change, the station said.

In recent years, Turkey has been plagued with a series of deadly train collisions.

In November 2005, a passenger train collided with a truck carrying workers in southern Turkey. Nine people died and several others were hurt.

In August 2004, two passenger trains collided head-on southeast of Istanbul, killing six people and injuring as many as 40.

A month earlier, a train travelling to Denizli slammed into a minibus when the driver of the minibus ignored signals warning of the advancing train and attempted to cross the tracks, officials said.

Fourteen people were killed, including five children.

The same month, a train travelling faster than it should have been derailed east of Istanbul, killing 36 people and injuring 81, authorities said.

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