Train crash 'due to human error'

Train crash 'due to human error'

Agus Maryono and Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Brebes/Cirebon

Investigators have confirmed their initial assumptions that
the train crash that killed at least 30 people in Brebes, Central
Java, on Dec. 25, was caused by human error.

The team of experts from the National Police forensic
laboratory and the Central Java Police claimed they had so much
evidence they were already able to determine the cause of the
accident, although their investigation was only 75 percent
complete.

They have teamed up with experts from other related fields
such as railways, transportation, physics and psychology.

The findings lend credence to the police's earlier decision to
name the Empu Jaya driver, Muhammad To'at, 50, as the prime
suspect, as he allegedly ignored traffic signals that led to the
collision.

The crash, involving the Empu Jaya and the parked Gaya Baru
Malam economy trains, occurred at Ketanggungan Barat train
station.

The findings also shot down To'at's version, given to visiting
legislators last week, that the crash occurred because the
train's brakes did not work properly.

Brebes Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heru Setyawan said that the
Empu Jaya switched tracks 17 seconds too early.

"The Empu Jaya rumbled onto Track III where the Gaya Baru
Malam was waiting, such that a collision was unavoidable," Heru
said.

Also, when it entered the station, the Empu Jaya was traveling
at 85 kilometers per hour (kph), way in excess of the maximum 30
kph permissible, according to investigators.

The investigators had evidence that To'at had applied the
brakes when the Empu Jaya was only 4.9 meters away from the
points. This meant that the speeding Empu Jaya was only 135
meters away from the Gaya Baru Malam, far too close for any
meaningful avoiding action.

The investigators rejected an earlier theory on possible
sabotage that was indicated by the presence of a stone in the
points control system.

They said that the Australian-made Westinghouse control system
was provided with an alarm that would light up if any object were
found underneath.

"So the conclusion seems to be that the Empu Jaya driver
ignored a red light when entering Ketanggungan Barat station,"
Heru said.

The investigators rejected all of To'at's key versions of the
event. For example, all the brakes were in perfect condition.

Aware of suspicions that the police might twist the facts to
match their initial presumption on the cause of the mishap, Heru
challenged that To'at be accompanied by a psychologist during his
questioning, to be held as soon as he is discharged from the
hospital.

Meanwhile, in the West Java town of Cirebon, hundreds of
people protested on Monday in front of Kejaksaan railway station,
demanding that Minister of Transportation Agum Gumelar and State
Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi step down over
the tragic accident.

The protesters, claiming to be from the Common People
Concerned with Train Affairs (WCKPA) also suggested that railway
company PT KAI's head office and Cirebon office introduce
internal reform to become more professional.

Holding up posters, the protesters also prayed for the victims
of the Brebes crash.

One of the posters read: "Ministers, When Are You Going to
Quit?"

The coordinator of the demonstration, Imam Musthofa, told The
Jakarta Post that he intended to draw people's attention to such
social problems, including the latest series of train accidents.

The head of Kejaksaan railway station, Bidjak Filsadjati, met
the protesters and promised to convey their demands to PT KAI
management.

The protesters, who started their demonstration at about 7
p.m., dispersed at 10 p.m. after failing to meet with the head of
PT KAI's Cirebon office.