1 Killed, 26 Injured in Train Accident in Switzerland

On Monday, two trains in Switzerland crashed in a head-on collision. The two trains were locked together on the tracks. Early Tuesday morning, rescue workers divided the trains to reach the body of one of the drivers inside of the cabin. The 24-year-old driver did not survive the crash. 26 of the 46 passengers were injured and taken to the hospital.

The crash occurred Monday evening at approximately 7 pm near the train station at Granges-pres-Marnand (31 miles southwest of Bern) in western Switzerland. The trains were traveling between the cities of Lausanne and Payerne. The Swiss Federal Railways company said, “…this is a very sad day and we regret the loss of one of our colleagues as well as those who were injured.”

The reason for the crash is unclear. Jean-Christophe Sauterel, spokesperson for the Vaud police, explained that investigators think one of the drivers ignored the signal of the other train, which was traveling faster and had the right-of-way. Black boxes from both trains have been taken for analysis (black boxes record data, including speed). The train was not scheduled to make a stop at that time. Sauterel also said, “The situation could have been much more catastrophic” and stated that rescue teams will continue to search the scene.

Other accidents in Europe in the past few days include a train crash in Spain on Thursday and a bus crash in Italy on Sunday. In Spain, a Renfe train (Avila 151) crashed near Santiago de Compostela; Out of 218 passengers, 79 lost their lives and 83 are in the hospital. Investigators have started analyzing data from the train’s black box.

Meanwhile, the driver, 52-year-old Francisco Jose Garzon, has been charged with negligent homicide for speeding and not braking, even though he received warning signals. In an emergency call right after the accident Garzon was recorded saying, “I should have been going 80 kilometers per hour and I am going at 190. Let’s hope there aren’t any dead.” The train entered a curve going too quickly and slammed into a concrete wall.

In Italy, 38 (of 48 passengers) were killed and 18 were injured in a bus crash east of Naples and near Monteforte Irpino. The bus hit several cars before crashing into a highway barrier and falling off a viaduct. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Today is a day of national mourning, as ordered by the Italian government.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a train accident, it is recommended that you contact a train accident lawyer as soon as possible. You should not have to experience economic loss or emotional anguish because of someone else’s negligence. Call AA Accident Attorneys today for a free evaluation. Our experienced legal team may be able to help you obtain compensation for your trauma, expensive medical bills, your injuries or wages you may have lost if you spent time away from work. You may be entitled to thousands of dollars.

The professionals at AA Accident Attorneys have over 40 years of collective legal experience and a 98% success rate. Additionally, we do not charge our clients until their cases are won. We are available to speak with you at our office, we can meet you at your home, or we can speak to you over the phone or online. Contact us today so we can start building your case.