Neva Express train went off the rails late Monday once a bomb exploded behind the railway bed.
Photo: AP
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Neva Express Ran Fast Enough When Railway Exploded
Russia’s Emergency Ministry and Russian Railways (RZhD) have refuted reports that the speed of Moscow-St. Petersburg train was slower than usual at Okulovka-Malaya Vishera span.
Neva Express was running at 191km/hour, Interfax reported with reference to Alexander Kolupaev, chief of the RF Emergency Ministry’s Main Department for Novgorod Region. The maximum speed of this train is 200km/hour.
According to a spokesman of RZhD news service, the speed of the train was at least 180km/hour, which helped avoid heavier consequences. “Exactly the high speed saved the situation,” RIA Novosti reported with reference to that source.
Neva Express left the metals roughly at 10:000 p.m. MSK on August 13, 2007. The reason was explosion of self-made bomb put under the railway bed. Of 25 hit by the crash, five have heavy injuries, Kolupaev said. The prosecutors have initiated a criminal case on terrorism count.
According to Kolupaev, concrete sleepers and road metal broke the moving train after explosion. “Thanks God, the sleepers weren’t from wood, otherwise, the cars would have been carried away and the number of victims would have been greater,” the official pointed out.
www.kommersant.com
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