HONG KONG • Hong Kong's railway operator said yesterday its workers have not found any suspicious objects on the tracks that could have caused the train derailment on Tuesday, local broadcaster RTHK reported.

However, MTR Corporation said they found another small crack on the tracks during overnight inspections, bringing the total number of cracks to four, said RTHK. It is not known if the cracks were there before the derailment or a result of the incident.

Train services at Hung Hom station for the East Rail Line were partially restored yesterday morning, with one platform in operation, after services were suspended for nearly 24 hours following the derailment. Overnight, workers used lifting equipment to put the three derailed carriages back on the tracks, RTHK reported.

Eight people were injured when the carriages came off the tracks as a train approached Hung Hom station during Tuesday's morning rush hour.

MTR Corporation said that an investigation panel comprising external experts will be set up to thoroughly investigate the derailment.

"The corporation will also review the handling of passengers during the incident to look for any areas for improvement," MTR Corporation chief executive Jacob Kam said in a statement on Tuesday.

Hong Kong is in its fourth month of political unrest, sparked by a now-withdrawn Bill to allow extraditions to mainland China.

MTR stations have been targeted by protesters since the company initially refused to hand over CCTV footage of police last month beating demonstrators and passengers on a subway train. Protesters have vented their fury by vandalising entrance barriers and ticketing machines as well as smashing windows in several stations.

XINHUA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE