3 railway employees arrested in Turkey over train accident

ISTANBUL – Turkey’s official news agency says three people have been arrested for their alleged roles in a deadly train accident.

Three employees of Turkey’s railway authority were put under pre-trial arrest Monday on the charges of reckless manslaughter and injury, according to Anadolu news agency. They worked as a dispatcher, switchman and controller in Turkish State Railways.

A high-speed train on Thursday morning hit a railway engine and crashed into a pedestrian overpass at a station in the Turkish capital Ankara, killing nine and injuring dozens of others. The train was travelling to central Konya province.

The head-on collision derailed at least two cars, hitting the station’s overpass, which then collapsed onto the train.

The three suspects were detained after the accident over negligence.