JAKARTA, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Indonesian investigators found signal and communication problems were the main cause of a deadly train collision near the capital Jakarta which killed 16 in April, a report from the Transportation Safety Committee showed.
• The evening collision between a commuter train and a long-distance train happened on April 27 in Bekasi, just outside Jakarta, killing 16 people and injuring 107, said the report, which was published on the committee’s website. It was not clear when the report was first released.
• Before the incident, the commuter train had already been in an accident involving an electric taxi, causing it to stop at a crossing.
• The report identified a signalling fault between Bekasi and Bekasi Timur stations, with the long-distance train responding to a green departure signal and not given any additional warning to slow down.
• “The driver did not receive a yellow signal indication informing them that the next signal ahead was showing red,” the report said.
• It also took three minutes and 20 seconds for the operation control centre to receive information from the commuter train driver regarding the incident with the taxi, with the control centre staff unable to hear the driver clearly, the report said.
• The driver of the long-distance train had not received training in situations which require emergency braking, the report added.
• The report also highlighted the poor visibility of signals due to light pollution and damaged windshields.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway)
