The passenger train involved in Saturday’s collision has been removed from the track

Two days after the collision of a passenger train and cargo train on the Sveti Ivan Žabno and Gradec rail line near Križevci, both trains have been removed from the tracks. The track itself however, will remain closed until safe travel can be guaranteed.

The full extent of the damage to the train will be established after a thorough inspection, although at already appears that the lead car will be a complete write-off. According to Končar's rolling stock designer Nenad Medić what is left of the passenger train will not be ready for operation for months to come: "There damage to the train is enormous, wagon 'A' is effectively trashed, as is the driving bogie frame, obviously we'll have to disassemble the entire wagon to make a complete diagnosis, and then make use of what we can. The good news is that we are still currently producing similar trains."

An investigation into what caused the crash is pending, although initial findings indicate that the driver of the freight train operated by HŽ Cargo between the Škrljevo and Meja stations did not stop at a red light where he should have waited for the passenger train from Zagreb to pass. The driver has since been suspended.

25 passengers were injured in the accident, of which six sustained severe injuries requiring hospitalization, but according to doctors, they are all in stable condition and recovering nicely.

Source: HRT