Train driver and operator are to blame for the crash between two subway trains in Mexico City

On March 10, two subway trains crashed in Mexico City. The tragic accident killed one driver and wounded 41 passengers.

Weeks after a crash between two subway trains in Mexico City, the local Attorney General’s Office determined that one of the metro drivers incurred in omissions that led to the accident; therefore, authorities launched an investigation for manslaughter and injuries .

During a virtual press conference, Ulises Lara , the FGJ spokesperson, explained the tragic events were the “result of omissions in the operation by the driver and the line regulator in the security processes.”

The official emphasized that the investigation carried out by 12 experts showed the same results as the investigation carried out by a German company hired to launch an independent investigation .

According to the report, while leaving the Tacubaya station towards the Observatorio station, the train driver received an alert and as a result, the security system responded by automatically blocking the train.

According to operation rules, the driver was required to exercise stop the train through an uphill parking maneuver.

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Moreover, the line regulator did not ask the driver to carry out said maneuver, which implied the train would stop in a safe way. On the contrary, she told the driver to move forward, then he transited from automatic piloting to manually operating the train with the authorization of the regulator. When the train is operated manually, there are no security measures.

He added that “during 8 minutes, several people entered and left the driver’s cabin when the manuals say that by that time, the driver must activate the manual brakes and shims in each subway car .

According to the registries from the black box , and the other investigation, it was found that the different maneuvers provoked the loss of friction of air in the brake system , during those 8 minutes, the control center should have indicated to apply the parking brake in each subway car, evacuate the train, as well as warn the train operator from the train that was in the Tacubaya station, something that didn’t happen”

On April 10 , officials of the Investigation Police (PDI) arrested the operator and the train driver involved in Mexico City’s subway crash.

Sources from Mexico City Attorney General’s Office confirmed the arrest of the subway workers who had an arrest warrant for manslaughter .

The arrested are Maricela “S,” the operator , and Alan Omar “F,” the train driver of the M-484-485 train that crashed with another train at the Tacubaya station.

The investigation file states that both of them are responsible for the murder of José Adán “N” and of the injuries suffered by six people who testified in the file consulted by EL UNIVERSAL .

Moreover, they are charged for damaging the Metros’ facilities.

Maricela was arrested in Mexico City , while Alan Omar was arrested in the State of Mexico .

A judge determined that the driver and the operator of Mexico City’s subway involved in the crash of two trains at the Tacubaya station arrested on Thursday night will not be imprisoned during their court proceeding .

However, both of them will have to appear every 15 days at the Injunctive Relief Unit (UMECA ), they cannot leave the country nor be near the victims; in addition, their labors at the Metro will be suspended.

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Weeks after the tragic accident , train drivers said they could stop working overtime and called for a strike on May 10 .

Last week, drivers held meetings where they agreed to go on a strike for a day, as part of a strategy to evidence that the accident where a person was killed was the result of failures in the trains and not a human error , as authorities claim.

Moreover, the strike will take place after Mexico City’s subway system fired several people who leaked information about the incident. According to sources, at least two employees were fired.

After the two employees were arrested in connection with the crash but later released, workers showed their support by placing messages on the metro stations .

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