Signal faults and communication problems caused Indonesia's deadly train collision, investigators say

JAKARTA, Sept 28 — 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)

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