Because the train driver was busy watching… cricket.

The train crew of a train that lost signal and crashed into another train in Andhra Pradesh on October 30 last year, killing 14 people, was distracted by watching cricket on their phones, according to India's Railway Minister on Monday (March 4).

India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducts rescue operations at a train accident site in Andhra Pradesh state on October 30, 2023 - Photo: Reuters

The fatal collision occurred when the host cricket team India was playing against England in the 2023 World Cup. At the time, hundreds of millions of cricket fans in India were glued to their screens watching the match live, which the home team ultimately won.

Speaking to the Press Trust of India, Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “The accident in Andhra Pradesh happened because both the chief driver and the assistant driver were distracted by the cricket match.”

"Currently, we are installing systems that can detect any such distractions and ensure that the ship's captains and their assistants are fully focused on controlling the vessel," Vaishnaw added.

In another development, Indian railway officials have dismissed a station manager and three related employees after a freight train traveled approximately 70 kilometers without a driver last month, according to the Hindustan Times.

India has one of the world's largest railway networks and has witnessed numerous disasters over the years, the worst of which occurred in 1981 when a train derailed while crossing a bridge in Bihar state, killing around 800 people.

In June 2023, a catastrophic collision involving three trains in Odisha state also killed nearly 300 people. In recent years, India has invested huge sums of money to upgrade its railway system with modern control stations and electronic signaling systems.

Nguyen Khanh (according to CNA, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/an-do-ket-luan-dieu-tra-tai-nan-tau-hoa-vi-lai-tau-mai-xem-cricket-post286659.html