Train accident near Garmisch: New findings could relieve the train driver - commemoration on Saturday

Created: 06/10/2022, 10:15 am

By: Dirk Walter, Franziska Konrad, Lukas Schierlinger, Felix Herz

Train crash near Garmisch-Partenkirchen with five dead.

Investigations into the cause are ongoing - also against railway employees for negligent homicide.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday.

• A

  serious train accident

  occurred in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Friday, June 3rd .

  A regional train derailed,

  five people died

  and dozens were injured.

• The investigation into the cause of the train accident is ongoing.

  On Tuesday, June 7, it became known that

  three employees of Deutsche Bahn

  were being investigated on

  suspicion of negligent homicide

  .

• A

  memorial

  service will be held on Saturday for the five victims of the train accident.

Update from June 10, 10:07 a.m .:

By pure coincidence, around 15 Bundeswehr soldiers from Mittenwald became rescuers in the train accident.

They were on the wrecked train and on their way home.

Then they acted at lightning speed - and became the heroes of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: memorial service will be broadcast on BR

Update from June 10, 9:55 a.m .:

Five people died a week ago in the serious train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

An ecumenical memorial service is to be held tomorrow, Saturday, to commemorate the dead.

Last Friday, five people died in a train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

© Tobias Hase/dpa

The service will take place at 5 p.m. in the parish church of Maria Himmelfahrt in Partenkirchen - and will be broadcast live by BR on television and on the Internet, the evangelical pastor Martin Dubberke announced to the evangelical press service.

Emergency services and relatives as well as all those affected by the train accident are invited.

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: memorial service for the victims on Saturday

Well-known faces of the church, including Munich's Catholic Archbishop Reinhard Marx and Munich's Protestant regional bishop Christian Kopp, are to take part in the ceremony.

Because two Ukrainian women who fled their homeland with their children are among the fatalities, parts of the commemoration ceremony will be held in Ukrainian.

"Every dead person is tragic, but there is a very special inner tragedy here," said Pastor Dubberke: "When you first escape death and then run into it again."

Update from June 9, 7:19 p.m .:

After the train accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Deutsche Bahn started preparatory work to salvage the locomotive and one last wagon from the accident site.

Coming from the north, work can now be done on the tracks in coordination with the investigating authority, said a railway spokesman on Thursday evening.

"So that a rail crane can reach the car and the locomotive to finally lift them, the track section in front of them will first be repaired," said the spokesman.

also read

Train accident: the clinic wanted to practice “mass casualties” this week – then reality struck

The heroes of Garmisch: One suffered fractures!

Even the injured soldiers helped the passengers

These measures alone before the carriage and then the locomotive are salvaged should take a few days.

"The timing of track work and salvage also depends on the further investigations." A forecast for the resumption of train traffic is therefore not yet possible. 

Update from June 9, 12:49 p.m .:

The investigations at the scene of the fatal train accident are dragging on.

The repair work could not be started on Thursday either: "The accident site has still not been released because assessments are still taking place," said the press spokesman for the police headquarters in Upper Bavaria South, Stefan Sonntag.

The almost 50 employees Soko "Zug" continue to work at full speed.

You have to wait "until at some point the experts say: We have now examined everything".

After the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: work until after the G7 summit?

It is quite possible that the work will last until after the G7 summit at the end of June.

However, the railway does not provide any information on this.

"DB is currently not working on site, the accident site has not yet been fully released," said a railway spokesman.

The locomotive and a wagon are still on the tracks.

Coming from the north, they would have to be recovered by rail after they were released.

For this, however, the track had to be repaired so that a rail crane could reach the scene of the accident.

The repair of the track section should begin in the course of the next few days.

Four women and a 13-year-old died in the train accident on Friday afternoon.

Another woman was still in critical condition, according to police on Thursday.

Update from June 9, 11:38 a.m .:

The investigations by Soko "Zug" into the cause of the train accident are still in full swing.

A defective rail is currently assumed to be the most likely cause

.

The logbook for the accident route now provides interesting information - from Mittenwald via Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Munich Central Station.

This is

available from

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: logbook relieves engine driver

Before each journey begins, the train driver must look at the said document.

For last Friday, the day of the train accident, this shows that there was no speed reduction between the accident site near Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Farchant.

This point could relieve the train driver.

He has been under investigation for two days on suspicion of negligent homicide.

Because in the logbook it is noted that he was driving at the permitted 100 km/h at the said point.

The southern police headquarters also confirmed to the

: So far there has been no evidence that the engine driver was traveling too fast.

Six days after the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, investigations into the accident are still in full swing.

© Tobias Hase/dpa

Also interesting: just a few kilometers from the scene of the accident, the speed is reduced to 20 km/h.

A “tow curve” is given as the reason for this in the document.

In concrete terms, this means that the speed at a level crossing must be reduced for trucks.

Another abnormality: On the route north of Garmisch, near Eschenlohe, there is currently a "slow speed signal" due to a lack of superstructure.

The superstructure consists of track bed and tracks.

Instead of 60 km/h, only 40 km/h are allowed over a distance of 100 meters.

It is therefore obvious that the superstructure is no longer in order at this point.

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: the clinic wanted to practice "mass casualties".

As already reported, construction work was planned on the accident route in the summer.

Despite this, there was no speed limit signal for the route.

Deutsche Bahn remains silent because of the ongoing investigation.

Update from June 9, 10:59 a.m .:

In connection with the upcoming G7 summit in the region, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Clinic wanted to practice a so-called “mass casualty incident” shortly before the train accident.

Then reality struck.

And the emergency plan came into effect in the hospital - the operation has not yet ended to this day.

Update from June 8, 5:58 p.m

.: After the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, investigators from the Soko “Zug” are still investigating at the accident site.

The search for the causes is the focus for officials and experts.

There are increasing indications of a technical defect - this opinion has been expressed in the past few days by Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann.

Rails and chassis in particular seem to be moving into the focus of the investigations.

The chassis that had been transported from the scene of the accident were secured.

Train accident near Garmisch - expert suspects defective rails as the cause

The professor for the field of rail vehicles at the TU Berlin, Markus Hecht, told

that defective rails were the most likely cause.

"Actually, the only possible cause is a track distortion." The rails deformed like an S. "A train driving over them is then shaken to the left and right.

Depending on the speed, bogie spacing and height of the train, enormous forces are then exerted on the vehicles," Hecht told the newspaper.

“The tracks often only deform at the moment when a train runs over the tracks.

That's why the leading vehicle stays on the track.” The cause could be a maintenance error on the track.

In the case of double-decker cars such as those in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, they are more susceptible to such track distortions to a limited extent.

One reason is the longer distances between the second and third axles than in other vehicles, explained Hecht when asked.

The Munich II public prosecutor's office is currently investigating three Deutsche Bahn employees on initial suspicion of negligent homicide.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutor emphasized that until the investigation was completed, it would remain open whether the railway employees were actually partly to blame.

"As always in such cases, the presumption of innocence applies here until the final conclusion of the proceedings."

Train accident near Garmisch: When the railway line will be released again is open

The traffic block along the B2 has now been lifted.

It is unclear when the railway line will be reopened.

According to reports, it could possibly only be passable again after the G7 summit at the end of June.

Just the removal of the locomotive will take a while.

The accident site has not yet been fully released, said a railway spokesman on Wednesday on request.

“Once released, the locomotive and wagons coming from the north must be recovered by rail.

To do this, however, the track must first be repaired so that our rail crane can reach the scene of the accident.” The repairs should begin in the next few days.

Train accident near Garmisch: B2 passable again

Update from June 8, 12:53 p.m .:

The traffic block along the federal highway 2 – at the level of the accident site – will be lifted in these minutes.

This was announced by the southern police headquarters in a press release.

“The B2 and the Farchant tunnel have already been reopened to traffic in the south (Garmisch-Partenkirchen),” the letter continues.

In the direction of travel north (Munich), the closure is expected to be lifted "in the course of the next hour".

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: traffic blocks lifted

Update from June 8, 11:15 a.m

.: Five days have passed since the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The investigators of the Soko "Zug" are still busy with investigations at the scene of the accident.

The locomotive and a wagon were still on the track on Wednesday morning, as a spokesman for the Oberbayern Süd police headquarters confirmed.

Because of the ongoing investigative work, those train parts will remain on site until further notice, a railway spokesman explained the day before.

When will they be taken away?

At this time still open.

The chassis of the salvaged wagons have now been secured.

After the train derailed near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, investigations into the cause of the accident continue.

© Dominik Bartl

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Investigators continue to investigate the scene of the accident

Federal highway 2 with the Farchant tunnel has been closed since Friday.

Under certain circumstances, this could be released again in the course of Wednesday.

Before that, the height control and the crash barriers removed for the rescue have to be repaired.

The train route itself, on the other hand, will remain closed for a long time.

It may not be released again until after the G7 summit at the end of June.

The repair is expected to take a few weeks.

Replacement buses are in use.

Numerous rescue workers were involved in the train accident on Friday.

A BRK employee describes the dramatic operation at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Update from June 8, 8:22 a.m .:

It is still unclear how the terrible train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen could have happened on Friday.

However, one thing is certain: the railway tracks in Germany have been considered dilapidated for years.

According to a report in the newspaper

, Deutsche Bahn is planning to carry out renovation work on the tracks on the accident route between Oberau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

There is now serious criticism of the group from a train expert.

Train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: railway experts fear further derailments

“The railway was saved from being broken.

And over the next few years it won't get any better, it'll get worse," says Karl-Peter Naumaunn, board member of the "Allianz Pro Schiene e.

V.”, opposite the

.

"The renovation backlog is now 60 billion euros." Why the train derailed is still unclear.

Nevertheless, Naumann fears that further problems could arise.

"There are far too many places in the rail network that need to be expanded."

Also on day 5 after the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen the clean-up work is going on.

The crime scene is still closed.

© Dominik Bartl

Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has since commented on the cause of the accident.

The CSU politician emphasized to the BR that this is currently being “searched for with a focus on technical defects”.

He promised: "In any case, they are being meticulously examined and measured at the moment," he said on Monday.

Update from June 7, 5:34 p.m .:

The clean-up work is now coming to an end.

The Farchanter Tunnel is to be reopened to traffic soon.

However, the closures led to enormous traffic jams on the roads around the accident site.

Update from June 7th, 2:49 p.m .:

Investigations into the cause of the accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are in full swing.

Recently, the chassis and rails have come into focus.

Investigations have now taken place at the scene of the accident - and chassis have been secured.

With a unanimous result.

As Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) reported to the

, all the local experts agreed "that the most likely cause would have to be a technical defect on the track or on the train".

Train accident near Garmisch: Investigations against railway workers - DB with the first statement

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn issued – more or less – a first statement.

On Tuesday it became known that the public prosecutor's office was investigating three railway employees.

Because of these ongoing investigations, the group is currently unable to comment, the DB reports to the

.

"Of course, we are doing everything we can to support the investigating authorities in clarifying the cause of the accident," says a railway spokesman.

Update from June 7th, 12:52 p.m .:

More information about the investigations against the DB employees is now known.

According to information from Münchner Merkur/tz, the engine driver, the dispatcher and a person responsible for the route are being investigated.

Update from June 7th, 12:12 p.m .:

How could the train accident in Burgrain come about?

What was the cause of the tragic accident?

It was announced on Tuesday that three Deutsche Bahn employees were being investigated on suspicion of negligent homicide.

The area in which the accused work, for example at DB Netz, was not disclosed.

There is also no information on age and place of residence.

According to the Munich II public prosecutor's office, a piece of track has not yet been released.

"It's like a kind of security." The class 111 electric locomotive that pushed the train in the direction of Farchant and the wagon connected to it "will remain at the scene of the accident for an indefinite period of time because investigations are still required," according to the police headquarters in Upper Bavaria South explained.

Train accident near Garmisch: Investigations against three employees of Deutsche Bahn

Update from June 7, 11:31 a.m .:

After the train accident in Burgrain, three Deutsche Bahn employees are being investigated on suspicion of negligent homicide.

This was confirmed by the press spokeswoman for the Munich II public prosecutor's office to the media group "Münchner Merkur"/"tz".

It is an initial suspicion. 

After the train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Friday, the clean-up work continues.

© Dominik Bartl

Around 40 people were injured in the train accident, several of them seriously.

One woman remains in critical condition.

A police spokesman said Tuesday.

Four women and a 13-year-old were killed in the serious accident.

Update from June 7, 10:06 a.m .:

The G7 summit will take place at the end of June just a few kilometers from the site of the train accident.

So the question arises: Was sabotage involved in the serious accident on Friday?

Was the train accident caused intentionally?

Bavaria's Minister of the Interior, Joachim Herrmann, explains in an interview that there are no corresponding indications so far.

When it comes to the cause, the CSU man balks at hasty conclusions: "It makes no sense to speculate as long as we don't know the cause.

Public prosecutors, criminal police and experts from the Federal Railway Authority are now thoroughly examining every detail at the scene of the accident.” However, the politician emphasizes that the tragedy could have an impact on the summit.

Train accident near Garmisch: Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing

Update from June 6, 7.40 p.m .:

In the investigations into the cause of the fatal train accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the rails and chassis are the focus.

The Bavarian Minister of the Interior, Joachim Herrmann, told Bayerischer Rundfunk on Monday that the cause of the accident was being “searched for with a focus on technical defects”.

Wagon chassis have already been secured, “and it is also being considered at the moment to what extent individual rails or sleepers must be secured.

In any case, they are being meticulously examined and measured at the moment," said the minister.

According to a report in the newspaper "Die Welt", Deutsche Bahn is planning to carry out renovation work on the tracks on the accident route.

Accordingly, from June 25th to July 9th between Oberau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a nightly track position correction and rail renewal should take place.

In response to questions from the "world", Deutsche Bahn said that due to the ongoing investigations, it could not comment on this at the moment.

The regional train from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Munich suddenly derailed shortly after departure on Friday.

Four women and a 14-year-old were killed, one person was still in mortal danger.

Among the fatalities were two women from Ukraine.

According to Herrmann, there is currently no error on the part of the driver.

But it is still being determined in all directions.

Train accident near Garmisch: THW ends its mission

Update from June 6th, 5 p.m.:

After the serious train accident near Garmisch, the emergency services of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) ended their mission.

This is reported by the BR correspondent, Monika Haugg.

According to her statement, the cranes will be dismantled.

According to THW spokesman Frank Simon, around 500 volunteers have been helping at the accident site since the accident last Friday.

Update from June 6, 9.10 a.m .:

There is news about the rescue work at the scene of the accident: As a correspondent for Bavarian Radio reported on Twitter, the second half of the third wagon had just been removed.

Two more wagons are to follow today, writes Philip Kuntschner.

The locomotive, the control car and another wagon are to be put back on the rails and transported away via the tracks.

Update from June 6, 8:30 a.m

.: While the clean-up work and the removal of the destroyed wagons progresses, the region is slowly starting to try to process what happened.

The Catholic and Protestant churches are planning a memorial service in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on June 11th.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising announced that further details will be announced in the course of the week.

And on Monday evening, the Catholic and Protestant churches invited to a joint ecumenical prayer in the parish church Maria Himmelfahrt in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

First report from June 6th, 6.30 a.m.:

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – With large, heavy equipment, the emergency services continue to work at the accident site of the train accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

On Sunday evening (June 5), the work was interrupted, a police spokesman said.

It should continue on Monday.

The accident site was "secured, cordoned off and guarded," the spokesman said.

In addition to the clean-up work, the investigation is progressing.

The Soko "Zug" works under the direction of the Munich II public prosecutor's office. How did the accident with five deaths come about?

Fatal train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: salvage work is progressing

More than 40 people were injured on Friday.

The train was on its way from Garmisch-Partenkirchen towards Munich at lunchtime, and many schoolchildren were among the passengers.

The clean-up work is complicated - cranes heave the derailed cars onto a street, then they are dismantled and transported away on flatbed trailers.

On Sunday, an excavator split the first car in half, and one half was removed from the scene of the accident.

The identification of the five fatalities was largely completed on Sunday.

According to the police, there are three women aged 32, 39 and 70 and, according to previous knowledge, a 51-year-old.

The fifth victim recovered on Saturday is a teenage boy.

Heavy train accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen - pictures from the scene of the accident

View photo gallery

Garmisch: further traffic obstructions after the train accident - current information

Among other things, the locomotive was to be put back on the track with the help of a special crane weighing 250 tons.

These and the remaining wagons should then be transported away by rail if possible.

The work is likely to take some time, the police predicted.

The railway also said it was not yet possible to estimate when the route would be cleared.

The work will also affect road traffic.

• Traffic in Sindelsdorf (Weilheim-Schongau district) is diverted from the A95 in the direction of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

• Traffic from the Augsburg region is diverted from the federal highway 17 to Füssen in the direction of the Fernpass.

• Traffic from Mittenwald/Innsbruck is routed towards Bundesstraße 11 near Krün.

• However, access to the Passion Play in nearby Oberammergau is still possible.