Pope Francis offered ‘heartfelt condolences’ to relatives of those who died in a train crash in India earlier this month.

“Let’s #PrayTogether for the many victims of the railway accident that occurred two days ago in India,” the pontiff said on Twitter. “I am close to the wounded and their families. May the heavenly Father welcome the souls of the deceased into his Kingdom.”

A telegram was sent on his behalf in which the pope called on "the loving mercy of the Almighty” to take care of the souls of the victims. He also sent his "heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss,” the Vatican News said in a report.

The devastating train wreck took place in Odisha, a state in India, on June 2. With hundreds dead, it was reported as one of the most severe incidents in decades, the BBC said in a report. The collision involved three trains and left thousands seriously injured and about 300 dead. The incident occurred when the Coromandel Express and Howrah Superfast Express, both passenger trains, rammed a stationary train that had been transporting goods, the BBC report said. 

A signal failure is being blamed for the pile-up. Three different inquiries are in progress now. One is being carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s top detective agency. A retired judge and the commissioner of railway safety for the south-eastern circle are conducted parallel investigations.

The agencies aim to thoroughly examine the incident, determine the causes, and shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic crash, the BBC reported.

The passenger trains involved in the collision were carrying more than 3,000 individuals combined, reports said. The stationary train was loaded with iron ore. The weight and substance of that cargo is said to have contributed to the high death toll and injuries, the BBC said.

“We can’t bring back those we have lost but the government is with them (families) in their grief,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when he was at the crash site, according to a report on CNN. “This incident is very serious for the government … Whoever is found guilty will be punished severely.”