Six people have died after a passenger train derailed in southern Croatia Friday injuring at least 50 others, officials said.

The fast train from Zagreb to Split derailed shortly after noon near village of Rudine, about 30 kilometres from its destination.

Medical teams and helicopters rushed to the scene to transport the injured to local hospitals. The train was carrying 91 passengers, on a route often used by holiday makers heading for the Dalmatian coast.

It was reported that 12 foreigners were among the injured: four from France, two Australians, and one each from Slovenia, Sweden, UK, Pakistan, Spain and Serbia, emergency official Marijan Tonec said. Five of them suffered minor injuries and were released from hospital, while others were kept for treatment, he added.

The cause of the derailment has already been investigated, officials reported.

Photo: AP