| 2011 Saxony-Anhalt train collision | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | January 29, 2011 |
| Location | Hordorf, Saxony-Anhalt |
| Country | Germany |
| Rail line | Magdeburg–Thale railway |
| Operator | Veolia Verkehr Sachsen-Anhalt GmbH |
| Type of incident | Collision |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Deaths | 10 |
| Injuries | 23 |
The 2011 Saxony-Anhalt train collision occurred on January 29, 2011, when a freight train and a passenger train collided near Hordorf in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany on the Magdeburg–Thale line. The passenger train derailed in the collision. Ten people were killed and 43 people were injured, some of them critically. Initial reports of 33 injured persons[1][2] were later corrected to 43 (18 critical, 25 non-critical).[3] Around 100 rescue workers were at the collision site, which is about 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of Berlin.[2]
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The local passenger train with about 45 to 50 passengers on board was on a single track at a speed of approximately 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), where it collided in very foggy conditions head-on with the freight train, which had a speed of about 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph).[1][4] Both trains had reduced their speeds prior to impact: The passenger train was travelling at 66 kilometres per hour (41 mph), the freight train at a speed of 68 kilometres per hour (42 mph). The impact derailed the passenger train, which fell on its side next to the track. The first part of the passenger train was crushed.[4] Subsequent investigations showed that the freight train had most likely passed a red signal. The track had been planned to be equipped with PzB for years, however at the time of the accident, it still ran exclusively on optical signals.[5]
Since many people were severely injured, it was considered likely that the death toll could rise in the immediate aftermath of the incident.[4] By 31 January, only two of the dead had been identified, as many of those killed did not carry identification.[6] At least some of the people killed were of foreign nationality.[6]
The passenger train involved in the incident was a lightweight Baureihe 648 operated by Harz Elbe Express, which was traveling from Magdeburg to Halberstadt.[4] The freight train was operated by the Peine-Salzgitter company and carried calcium carbonate.[4] It had a total mass of about 2700 tons.
About 100 workers, composed of police and specialized rescue workers, were involved in the rescue efforts.[4] Ambulances were used to transport wounded, as heavy fog meant helicopters could not operate.[4]
Two days after the incident, it was announced that the engineer of the freight train was being investigated for "alleged involuntary manslaughter" and was under suspicion of failing to stop for a red signal prior to the crash.[7] On 1 February, it was reported that investigators believed that the freight train had passed both a warning and a stop signal prior to the crash.[8] Investigators hoped to question the operator of the freight train, who was in a state of shock at the time, later that week.[8]
In response to the crash, the national rail operator Deutsche Bahn said that it would improve safety systems on all single-track rail lines in the country, including adding automatic braking systems as required.[8]
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