Istanbul [Turkey], April 26: A Turkish court on Thursday sentenced nine state railway officials to between eight years and more than 17 years in prison for "causing death and injury by negligence" over a 2018 crash that killed 25 people, local media reported.
Turkish State Railways regional manager at the time was handed the highest sentence at 17 and-a-half-years, the state news agency Anadolu reported.
A passenger train derailed in July 2018 in the Tekirdag province's Corlu district, some 110 kilometres west of Istanbul. Seven children were among the 25 killed while 340 people were injured.
The train was travelling from Unlukopru, near the Greek border, to Istanbul's Halkali station, Turkey's main rail route to Europe. Seven children were among the dead and more than 300 people were injured. Thirteen rail officials were on trial, four of whom were acquitted on Thursday, according to Anadolu.
An expert report filed with the court cited the railways operator as responsible for not taking technical measures, including ground support, against bad weather conditions or flooding, according to local media, including the Evrensel daily.
Heavy rain was reported in the area at the time of the derailment. Victims` families are demanding that senior state officials face charges.
Misra Oz, whose nine-year-old son died in the crash, has been the most prominent face of the families' grievances. Three years ago, she was fined the equivalent of $1,250 for "insulting public officials" in relation to the disaster.
Main opposition party leader Özgür Özel, of the Republican People's Party or CHP, was among the politicians in the courtroom to watch the trial.
Source: Qatar Tribune
