Investigation into rail accidents

An investigation is underway into three separate rail accidents that occurred at Czech Railways this week.

On Tuesday a runaway train covered over six kilometres without a train driver in Moravia, travelling over two bridges and a tunnel as terrified passengers pulled at the emergency break to no avail. It eventually stopped when the track went on an upward incline. Miraculously, none of the 11 passengers were injured.

On Friday, an express train and passenger train stopped within 34 metres of each other on the same track, preventing an accident at the last minute and on Saturday morning a locomotive crashed into another in České Budejovice.

Early reports suggest the accidents were caused by technical problems and human error.