Crane operator to be prosecuted for fatal train derailment

The Public Prosecutor is prosecuting a 23-year-old crane operator for causing a train crash in Dalfsen in February 2016. The train driver was killed and six people were injured. The 23-year-old man is being charged with causing a traffic accident resulting in death and injury, the Public Prosecutor said on Tuesday, NU.nl reports.

According to the Prosecutor, the crane operator was negligent, inattentive and did not inform himself about the rail timetable for the spot where he was working. This resulted in him not knowing in advance where he could safely cross the rails with his slow-moving vehicle.

The train collided with the crane at a railroad crossing near Dalfsen, derailing completely. The crane operator managed to jump away in time to avoid injury.

The 23-year-old man will appear in the court in Zwolle on September 12th.