An investigation into the train crash in the Czech Republic that killed two Ukrainian women has been completed
In the Czech Republic, an investigation has been completed into one of the most tragic train accidents in recent years, in which four people were killed, including two Ukrainian citizens. Investigators concluded that the tragedy was the result not only of human error but also of a series of systemic failures.
The report states that some of the equipment that could have prevented the disaster was not activated due to administrative decisions. The final report was prepared after more than two years of investigation.
The Czech Railway Inspectorate has completed a draft report on the investigation into the accident that occurred in June 2024 at the Pardubice station. At that time, an international RegioJet passenger train traveling from Prague to Chop, Ukraine, collided with a ČD Cargo freight train. Four people were killed in the crash, including two Ukrainian women. Another 27 passengers were injured. Property damage exceeded 150 million Czech crowns.
The investigation’s findings indicate that the tragedy was caused by more than just the train driver’s actions. The inspection emphasizes that the dangerous situation also arose due to “systematically poor decisions by officials.” At the time of the accident, the railway junction in Pardubice was undergoing modernization. A national train protection system had already been installed there, but it was not operational.
The report notes that the infrastructure had, in fact, been prepared for the launch of a safety system that could have prevented the accident. However, the necessary equipment was never connected. “The worst-case scenario occurred. The infrastructure had been prepared, in terms of design and construction, for the launch of the track-based component of the train safety system. However, the purchased and prepared components remained unused and were not connected for purely administrative reasons,” the report states.
According to the investigation, the accident occurred just a few days after the official completion of construction work at the station. At the same time, the actual completion of the modernization did not take place until about a year and a half later. The disaster was one of the most devastating on the Czech railway in recent years. The RegioJet international express, consisting of 13 cars and bound for Ukraine, collided with a ČD Cargo freight train right at the Pardubice station. Both train operators survived.
The draft report will serve as the basis for the final document, which is intended to identify all the causes of the tragedy and help prevent similar accidents in the future. This was reported by the specialized website Zdopravy.cz
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