A freight train of the private operator “Transagent“ derailed near the Croatian city of Rijeka. The incident occurred at 9:25 a.m. at the entrance to Meja station. The train was carrying grain, which is believed to be of Ukrainian origin, and 11 wagons fell into a gorge. No injuries were reported.
Before the derailment, the driver reported to the dispatcher that the brakes had failed and he could not stop the train. After the accident, emergency teams were sent to the scene, and rail traffic on the section was completely suspended. The rails and sleepers are seriously damaged.
Clearance will be complicated
Employees of “Croatian Railways“ have warned that the elimination of the consequences will be difficult. The derailment occurred at a junction where the line divides into three tracks and is usually used for trains to pass each other. This further complicates access to the site and the removal of the carriages from the breach.
Passengers and residents of Meja must take into account the interruption of traffic and the ongoing repair work. The restoration will begin with securing and initial repairs to the line so that heavy railway equipment can reach the site.
Technical failure and human error are being investigated
Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković said: “Preliminary data does not point to the condition of the railway infrastructure as the cause of the accident.“
A technical failure of the train and human error are currently being considered as the main possibilities. Police are working on the scene together with the Agency for the Investigation of Accidents in Air, Sea and Rail Transport. The exact cause will be announced after the completion of the official investigation.
The incident has once again raised the question of the safety of freight and passenger transport in Croatia. Investments of around 6 billion euros are planned for the railway network, but so far there is no evidence that they are specifically related to this accident.
Sources: eurointegration.com.ua, teklic.hr