Turkish Train Derails Killing 36, Injuring 79

The death train took off Istanbul at 18.00 with 234 passengers and 12 personnel on board. It derailed in Pamukova. The Health Ministry announced the death toll as first 199, then 37. According to the Transport Ministry the number is 36.

Warnings Ignored

Prof. Dr. Aydin Erel, lecturer of the Yildiz Technical University warned Transport Minister Binali Yildirim at the Transport Summit which was held on July, 6.

Erel had said 15 days before, “Infrastructure is not suitable for speedy train. The likelihood of an accident is very high. These trains will be derailed. I will neither be on board such a train nor will have my relatives be on board.”

Prof. Dr. Haluk Gercek of the Istanbul Technical University said, “We previously said that unless the infrastructure, physical and geometrical structures of the line between Ankara and Istanbul are suitable, increasing the speed might be risky.”