Pretoria — The South African government has received the news of the horrific train accident in Mozambique 'with deep shock and a sense of immense fellow feeling with the people of our neighbouring country.' In a statement, President Thabo Mbeki said: 'We in South Africa express our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those who died or were injured and generally to the people of Mozambique.' Mozambique began three days of mourning today, following the death of nearly 200 people in a train crash yesterday at Pessene, in Moamba district, about 40 kilometres from the capital Maputo.

The train was headed from Ressano Garcia, on the border with South Africa, to Maputo, carrying mostly women traders.

The Mozambican government declared three-days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast.

The accident is the worst in more than a decade in the southern African country. The last major train was in 1990 in the northern port of town of Nacala, where 106 people died.

Mozambique's transport minister Tomas Salomao said today rescue workers had recovered all the dead and injured from the site of the crash that killed at least 195 and left 166 wounded.

President Joaquim Chissano today toured the wreckage of the overturned train, whose wagons have been removed from the tracks to open line to other trains.

'The site has now been completely cleared, leaving the line in business again,' said Mr Salomao.

Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the accident are continuing, with preliminary findings by government investigators indicating human error.