Wrong signal caused India train derailment: Officials.

Tragedy Strikes: India Train Crash Leaves 288 Dead

Officials in India revealed Sunday that one train involved in the Friday crash was given the wrong signal that lead to the impact.

The search for survivors in the devastating train crash in Bahanaga has come to an end, with the death toll reaching a staggering 288. Over 800 people were injured in the crash and subsequent derailment on Friday, making it the worst such incident in over 20 years.

What Happened?

According to senior railway official Jaya Verma Sinha, a preliminary investigation found that the high-speed Coromandel Express was initially given the correct signal to run on the main track line. However, the signal changed, and the train instead entered the adjacent loop line where it collided with a freight train loaded with iron ore.

Officials are still unsure whether the signal change was due to a technical error or human mistake.

In addition to the Coromandel Express, two South Eastern Railway passenger trains carrying a total of 2,300 passengers were also derailed in the crash.

Compensation for Victims

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishna has promised that families of the deceased will receive 1 million rupees (approximately $12,000), while those seriously injured will receive 200,000 rupees and those with minor injuries will receive 50,000 rupees.

India’s Busy Railways

Indian railways typically transport 13 million passengers every day, making it one of the busiest railway networks in the world.

Our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases