Probe blames driver for Saudi rail crash
The derailment of a passenger train in Saudi Arabia that left 35 people injured was caused by driver negligence, rather than any technical fault, an investigation found.
A probe by the Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) into the June 27 incident, which occurred on the Dammam-Riyadh service carrying 332 commuters, judged that the driver had failed to comply with the speed limit.
According to the report, the train was travelling at 119km round a detour approximately 70km east of the capital Riyadh where the limit was 30km.
The SRO says it has now sought the assistance of international experts to help run the railways' central control room, while those held responsible for the June accident will now face strict penalties.
Following the derailing, the Saudi Arabian ruler King Abdullah sacked the head of the SRO Eng Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Hokail.
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