Milavče train crash
Milavče train crash | |
---|---|
Details | |
Date | 4 August 2021 08:06 CEST (06:06 UTC) |
Location | Milavče |
Coordinates | 49°27′55″N 12°59′6″E / 49.46528°N 12.98500°E |
Country | Czech Republic |
Operator |
|
Service | |
Incident type | Head-on collision |
Statistics | |
Trains | 2 |
Deaths | 3 |
Injured | 67 |
Missing | 1 |
Damage | In excess of Kč 100,000,000 |
On 4 August 2021, two passenger trains collided at Milavče in the Czech Republic. Three people were killed and 67 were injured.
Background
Train collisions in the Czech Republic are relatively frequent by European standards because of outdated safety systems.[1] After a deadly collision in 2020, the Czech government announced a modernization programme. As of 2021 the European Train Control System (ECTS) is installed on only 500 km of rail; by 2025 this is planned to be expanded to all main lines.[1]
Two passenger trains collided head-on at Milavče, Plzeň Region, Czech Republic at 08:06 local time (06:06 UTC).[2][3] One of the trains was a České dráhy local service[4] from Plzeň to Domažlice,[5] with a ČD Class 844 RegioShark diesel multiple unit.[3] The other was an international service from Munich, Germany to Prague, Czech Republic,[6][7] operated by České dráhy in the Czech Republic and by Die Länderbahn in Germany.[8] The train was hauled by DB Class 233 diesel locomotive 223 066.[3]
Three people were killed,[9] and 67 were injured, five seriously.[2][3] Those killed were both drivers and a female passenger, all Czech citizens.[9] One person was reported missing.[7]
Rescuers from Germany assisted their Czech colleagues. Four helicopters transported the injured to hospitals in Plzeň.[7] Ten less severely injured patients were transported to hospitals in Germany.[5] Damages were estimated as in excess of Kč 100,000,000 (about 3.9 million Euro or 4.6 million US$).[3]
Investigations
The Rail Safety Inspection Office (RSIO Czech: Drážní inspekce) opened an investigation into the accident.[9] The investigation is expected to take several months. A criminal investigation was also opened as negligence was suspected to be one of the causes of the accident. České dráhy likewise opened an investigation into the accident.[3]
Czech transport minister Karel Havlíček said that the international train had passed a stop signal (SPAD).[7] Inspector General of the RSIO Jan Kučera said that it was not known whether the SPAD was a result of a technical defect with the train or driver error.[3]
References
- ^ a b dpa. "Zug aus München in Tschechien verunglückt: Drei Tote" [Train from Munich crashed in the Czech Republic: three dead]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 5 August 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Sharman, Jon. "Three dead after double train crash in Czech Republic". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Na Chodsku se srazil rychlík z Bavorska a RegioShark, tři lidé zemřeli" [An express train from Bavaria and RegioShark collided in Chodsko, three people died] (in Czech). Česká Televisie 24. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Passenger trains collide in Czech Republic, killing 2". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ a b Skacel, Jiri. "Munich-Prague train collides with Czech commuter service, three dead". Reuters. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Three dead, dozens injured after passenger trains collide in the Czech Republic". Channel 9 News. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Two dead, more than 40 injured in Czech train crash". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Expresszug aus München kollidiert mit Regionalbahn nahe Bayerns Grenze – Weiterer Toter gemeldet" [Express train from Munich collides with regional train near Bavaria's border - another dead reported] (in German). Münchner Merkur. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "Three dead in train crash near Czech-German border". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.