Disaster in India: Railways Minister Ashwini Vishnau announced on Sunday that the cause of the country's deadliest railway disaster during the twenty-first century was caused by a malfunction in the signalling system. According to the minister, the malfunction caused a mistake in the timing of a high-speed passenger train that collided with another passenger train and a freight train.
"The person who caused this accident, who changed the settings of a signaling system, will be found and prosecuted after a proper investigation of the case. The Rail Public Safety Commissioner is investigating the case and it would be irresponsible of me to comment on the matter at this time," the minister told India's national radio network. Vishnau said the train line on which the accident occurred would resume normal today.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the accident has risen to more than 300, while the number of injuries stands at more than 1,000. Eight Indian Air Force helicopters evacuated the dead and wounded from the accident area, and Indian officials announced that rescue operations had ended.
Rescue teams at the scene of the disaster in India, Photo: AFP
Probably the deadliest disaster in India's history, Photo: AFP
The scene of the disaster in eastern India, photo: AP
Yesterday evening, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the scene of the accident and met with the heads of the National Railways. Modi said his country would do everything possible to ensure that rail traffic in the country was safe for the public.
"I was sleeping," one survivor of the disaster told a local television network. "I was woken up by the noise of the train derailing. Suddenly, I saw 15-10 people dead. I managed to get out and then I saw a lot of bodies."
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