Train crash probe focuses on human error

between a regional passenger train and a freight train that killed 10 people and injured 40.

Interior Minister Holger Hovelmann warned against jumping to conclusions after the head of the regional government blamed human error as the likely cause of the crash Wolfgang Boehmer told journalists that the disaster late Saturday night was probably caused by one of the trains ignoring a red stop light on the section of single track where the crash occurred at high speed.

“It's likely the stop signal wasn't respected. It's not normal that two trains were running on the same track,” Boehmer said.

Federal police official Ralf Krueger told a press conference however that accident investigators had yet to reach a conclusion.

“The inquiry has been opened. The conclusion will be made public as soon as possible..... The signal system must obviously be checked out,” Krueger said.

The trains smashed into each other head on at around 10:30 pm (2130 GMT) Saturday on a single section of the rail line at Hordorf, near Magdeburg in Germany's eastern Saxony-Anhalt.

Krueger said the trains smashed into each other “at considerable speed” and that visibility was poor because of fog.

The regional train, which derailed and landed on its side, was the HarzElbeExpress (HEX) travelling between Magdeburg and Halberstadt carrying 50 passengers.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email