New York - On Thursday, a New York City subway train derailed following a low-speed collision with another train, resulting in over 20 individuals sustaining minor injuries and causing significant disruptions to Manhattan's afternoon rush hour, according to authorities.

The incident occurred around 3 pm on the Upper West Side, where a train carrying approximately 300 passengers collided with an out-of-service Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) train near the 96th Street station. A derailment, defined as at least one wheel of a train leaving the track, ensued. Images shared by city emergency management officials on social media depicted the passenger train partially off the tracks near a track-switching mechanism. While there were no immediate signs of equipment failure, investigators were examining the possibility of human error.

Evelyn Aguilar, a 19-year-old passenger, described the scene as "really scary," recounting belongings flying across the train, and personal injuries, including hitting her head on the door's window and a pole.

The out-of-service trains stuck due to multiple emergencies stop cords being pulled, had workers on board to reset the brake cords, as explained by Richard Davey, president of New York City transit for the MTA. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, and Davey assured a thorough investigation into the collision.

Emergency responders, including police, fire, and MTA personnel, were on the scene, with seven passengers and one crew member transported to hospitals. Firefighters assisted in evacuating passengers from the affected train and another train halted in the tunnel due to the collision.

The aging subway system, grappling with issues such as power outages and signal problems in recent years, faces financial challenges exacerbated by lower ridership and revenues during the pandemic. The collision disrupted service on the 1, 2, and 3 lines in most of Manhattan, with efforts underway to clear tracks and resume service by Friday morning, though not guaranteed.