TGV Est trial: what penalties for the defendants ?

The trial of the TGV accident took place at Eckwersheim on November 14, 2015 opens this Monday before the Paris Criminal Court. Three legal entities and three natural persons are on trial.

This Monday, March 4, the trial begins into the derailment of the train of a test TGV which caused the accident. the death of 11 people in Alsace, November 14, 2015. The drama of the "TGV Est" s'was produced during the last test of tron&ccedil ;on of the line à East European high-speed train between Baudrecourt (Moselle) and Vendenheim (Bas-Rhin). The accident also left 42 people injured, some seriously at Eckwersheim (Bas-Rhin). SNCF, its subsidiaries Systra, SNCF Réseau as well as three employees are being tried before the criminal court until May 16, 2024 for "injuries and involuntary manslaughter by clumsiness, imprudence, negligence or breach of duty a security obligation.

The tragic derailment of November 14, 2015

More than eight years ago, a test began during which the TGV ran faster than in conventional traffic, so as to increase the speed of the TGV. "&eac;prove the way" according to the order for referral to the criminal court consulted by France Info. A particularly tight turn and delicate & negotiating requires a succession of three speed levels. If the instructions are not respected, in this case, respect a maximum speed of 176 km/h, it is impossible to go through this bend.

That day, the driver engaged the vehicle. braking too late, the train started to move its turn &agrav; 243 km/h and tilted in the Marne-Rhine canal. Employees from the railway world as well as members of their families were at work. edge. This is what it is all about. of the "worst accident in the history of the TGV" éwrites à the West France period. The first and only fatal TGV accident in France since it was put into service in 1981.

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Three individuals, SNCF, Systra and SNCF Réseau judged

SNCF, its subsidiaries Systra (sponsor of the tests) and SNCF Réseau (track manager), as well as three natural persons: the titular driver, an SNCF executive in charge of to give him braking and acceleration instructions as well as a Systra engineer appear before the 31st correctional chamber. He is particularly accused of to legal entities for having hired staff without training them. They risk up to 'à 225,000 euros fine each. A first investigation notably demonstrated that: that the drivers had not received the necessary training for this type of TGV overspeed test.

He is also accused of &agrav; the SNCF and its two subsidiaries for not having identified railway risks linked to driving a speeding train. The investigating judge indicates in his order "a lack of anticipation of the risks of derailment", "insufficient preparation" , or even "gaps in staff training" between SNCF and Systra. Push the oar à 330 km/h was "dangerous, unnecessary and contrary to recommendations".

Negligence and multiple malfunctions

The experts from the "collective accident" of the Paris judicial court believe that the derailment is due to speed on the one hand, and on the other hand late braking. According to investigators, the precise braking point was not clearly indicated. in the driving team documents. They were determined " the ladle" according to the terms reported by AFP, from a driver to investigators. The confusion could therefore be due to a lack of rigor in the organization of this essay. He is also accused of &agrav; SNCF Réseau negligence on the part of its coordinator security, which did not ensure itself that the risks linked to the performance of overspeed tests would be taken into account at this time. their fair value.

Three individuals are also being tried in this case. Two employees from SNCF and one from Systra. First, the driver of the train who did not maintain the electric brake according to the investigation. The traction transport frame, loaded with to validate the train control and the traction pilot, who defines the braking strategy are also on the dock. The three railway workers face sentences of three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros each. The trial promises to be very technical because justice will have to determine the responsibilities of each person in the sequence of events. ;events, until the tragedy.