A freight train with, likely, Ukrainian grain derailed in Croatia

Near the Croatian city of Rijeka, a freight train owned by a private carrier derailed, with, likely, Ukrainian grain, according to Eurointegration.

As "European Pravda" reports, this was reported by the portal Teklic.hr

On Saturday at 9:25 a.m., a serious railway accident occurred on the approach to Meja station: a freight train of the private operator "Transagent" derailed.

The train was carrying grain, likely of Ukrainian origin, and a total of 11 cars plunged into a ravine. No one was injured in this accident.

Before the derailment, the driver reported to the dispatcher that his brakes had failed and he could not stop the train. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene, and railway traffic on this section has been completely suspended.

Employees of "Croatian Railways", who will be responsible for cleanup at the accident site, say that the work will be extremely difficult.

A further problem is that the derailment occurred at a junction where the line splits into three tracks, which is typically used for train passing.

Rails and sleepers suffered serious damage.

Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković stated that preliminary findings do not indicate that the condition of the railway infrastructure was the cause of the accident.

At the moment, the main possible causes being considered are a technical malfunction of the train or human error.

Police are conducting an investigation at the scene in cooperation with the Agency for the Investigation of Accidents in Air, Maritime and Rail Transport. Although around six billion euros are planned for investment in the railway network, this incident has once again brought the issue of safety of freight and passenger transport to the forefront.

The exact cause of the accident will only be known after the completion of the official investigation. Until then, residents of Meja and passengers should be prepared for disruptions in traffic and lengthy efforts to extract the cars from the ravine.