Rio Tinto suffers third autonomous train derailment in Pilbara

Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) has seen its third autonomous train derail in the Pilbara region of Western Australia within the past year.

The incident occurred around midnight on Monday, 80 kilometers outside of Karratha, when a loaded Rio Tinto train collided with a set of stationary wagons. 

The force of the impact derailed 22 wagons and three locomotives.

Thankfully, no one was injured in the accident. 

Rio Tinto confirmed this in a statement, adding, "We have notified the appropriate regulators and commenced an investigation." 

The company also stated that work to clear the rail line would begin soon, but the timeframe remains uncertain.

The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) is investigating the cause of the crash. 

Their investigation will focus on how signaling systems in the area were functioning and if proper protocols were followed.

This latest derailment follows similar incidents in February 2024, where 38 wagons derailed near Dampier, and June 2023, where another driverless Rio Tinto train left the tracks, losing around 30 wagons. 

It's important to note that no injuries were reported in any of these incidents.

Rio Tinto operates a vast 2,000-kilometer rail network in the Pilbara to transport iron ore from mines to ports. 

The company transitioned to a fully autonomous network in 2019. 

With 17 iron ore mines in the Pilbara and a production exceeding 330 million tonnes in 2023, Rio Tinto is a major player in the global iron ore market. 

These repeated derailments raise questions about the safety and effectiveness of their autonomous train system.