How a cricket match caused a train crash that killed 14

The tragic train accident in India’s Andhra Pradesh that killed 14 people in October was attributed to train drivers being distracted by a cricket match on their phones, according to India’s Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The drivers were reportedly engrossed in the one-day World Cup match between India and England when the accident occurred. The collision, which stemmed from a missed signal, left dozens injured as the passenger train traveling between Visakhapatnam and Palasa collided with another train.

Vaishnaw expressed concern over the distraction and announced plans for new security measures to detect and prevent such incidents in the future.

In a statement, he revealed, “Both the operator and the co-pilot were distracted from the cricket match.” The crash resulted in the derailment of three carriages, prompting a massive response from emergency services, including ambulances, doctors, nurses and rescue personnel.

While the preliminary investigation soon after the incident held the driver and assistant driver responsible, the official report by the Railway Safety Commissioners is yet to be released, the Times of India reports.

Minister Vaishnaw emphasized the importance of enhanced security measures to ensure full focus of train pilots and assistant operators during operations.

India, which has one of the largest railway networks in the world carrying millions of passengers daily, has witnessed several rail disasters over the years.

The train derailment in Andhra Pradesh marked the third major incident since June last year, after a three-train collision in Odisha killed around 300 people.

Reflecting on the history of Indian railways, the worst disaster occurred in 1981 when a derailment in Bihar resulted in nearly 800 deaths.

In a recent development, the Indian Railways has launched an investigation after a freight train traveled over 70 km without a driver. Footage on social media showed the 53-car train speeding through stations before it was stopped in Punjab by a railway official using wooden blocks on the tracks.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident to ensure the safety and integrity of the rail system.