'Human error' behind Iran fatal train crash
'Human error' behind Iran fatal train crash
An error by a railway signals operator was likely the reason for a collision involving two trains in Iran last month, which left 45 people dead.
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Iran has witnessed several incidents on its railways in recent years [AFP]
Human error was the likely cause of a train crash in northern Iran last month, which left at least 45 people dead and dozens seriously injured, Iranian investigators have said.
A railway signals operator at Semnan station was likely responsible for mistakes which led to the crash involving two trains, the head of a committee investigating the crash said.
Akbar Torkan ruled out intentional malice on the part of the signals operator, but three people were arrested in the investigator and the head of Iran's railways was forced to step down.
The crash took place when a train travelling from Tabriz to Mashhad was forced to stop due to break failure.
The signals operator did not inform a second train also travelling to Mashhad about the vehicle ahead which led to the crash, Press TV reported.
Four carriages were derailed in the incident, while two were engulfed in flames leading to 45 deaths and 103 injured.
The crash caused outrage in Iran, leading the government to make an immediate enquiry into the accident and forced the president of Iran's state-owned railways Mohsen Poor Seyyed Aqaei to step down.
A railway signals operator at Semnan station was likely responsible for mistakes which led to the crash involving two trains, the head of a committee investigating the crash said.
Akbar Torkan ruled out intentional malice on the part of the signals operator, but three people were arrested in the investigator and the head of Iran's railways was forced to step down.
The crash took place when a train travelling from Tabriz to Mashhad was forced to stop due to break failure.
The signals operator did not inform a second train also travelling to Mashhad about the vehicle ahead which led to the crash, Press TV reported.
Four carriages were derailed in the incident, while two were engulfed in flames leading to 45 deaths and 103 injured.
The crash caused outrage in Iran, leading the government to make an immediate enquiry into the accident and forced the president of Iran's state-owned railways Mohsen Poor Seyyed Aqaei to step down.
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