• The accident took place in 2015. On November 14, a TGV derailed in Alsace and caused the death of 11 people and the injury of 42 others.

  • Almost seven years later, the SNCF, two subsidiaries and three of their employees will be tried before the Paris Criminal Court.

  • During the investigation, the railway experts concluded that the train's tilting and then derailment had been caused by "excessive speed" and late braking.

In Alsace, the drama is still present in people's minds.

On November 14, 2015, 53 people, employees from the railway world and members of their families, including four children, boarded the TGV train for the final test of the section of the new high-speed line (LGV) between Vaires-sur-Marne (Seine-et-Marne) and Vendenheim (Bas-Rhin).

At Eckwersheim, 20 km from Strasbourg, the train had approached a curve at 265 km / h, very well above the 176 km / h expected.

It had derailed 200 meters further, before hitting a bridge and falling into the Marne-Rhine canal.

Eleven adults had died and 42 people had been injured, some seriously, in this first fatal derailment in the history of the high-speed train since its commissioning in 1981.

Almost seven years later, the SNCF, two subsidiaries and three of their employees will be tried before the Paris Criminal Court.

Two investigating judges from the "collective accidents" division of the Paris court ordered a lawsuit on August 2 against the SNCF, its subsidiaries Systra (sponsor of the tests) and SNCF Réseau (track manager) as well as against a main driver, an executive and a pilot for "injury and manslaughter by clumsiness, recklessness, negligence or breach of a security obligation", according to sources familiar with the matter.

"I take note of the decision of the investigating magistrates whose analysis I do not share in law and in fact", reacted Systra's lawyer, Me Philippe Goossens.

During the trial, "Systra will then present to the court the factual and legal reasons demonstrating that it has not committed any offence," the company said in a press release.

SNCF declined to comment.

“There are responsibilities everywhere, faults in all parties, SNCF, Systra, among the pilots…”, considered Nicolas Heury, son of a deceased victim, for whom “they are all accountable”.

“It is a satisfactory decision on the merits and which comes to close a file which was conducted in a solid way”, estimated Me Sophie Sarre, lawyer for civil parties.

“Such incompetence borders on willful intent”

But for his clients, "it is incomprehensible" that natural and legal persons are dismissed for injuries and manslaughter "when we consider the incompetence and lack of professionalism that presided over the organization of these trials", he said. -she adds.

“Such incompetence borders on willful intent”.

During the investigation, the railway experts concluded that the train's tilting and then derailment had been caused by "excessive speed" and late braking.

The lack of communication within the crew was also pointed out by the Land Transport Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA-TT), which had submitted two reports to the courts in February 2016 and May 2017.

In their 231-page order, the investigating judges list the shortcomings of which the companies are accused: "insufficient preparation" of the tests of the train in overspeed, lack of anticipation of the risks of derailment, "insufficient communication and coordination" between the teams, "shortcomings in the training of the personnel" in charge of the tests.

In addition, the choice of Systra's test manager to push the train to a maximum speed of 330 km / h was "dangerous, unnecessary and contrary to the recommendations" and constitutes "a fault of recklessness", according to the magistrates.

A “quick” trial?

The three employees had been indicted in October 2016, then SNCF and Systra in December 2017 and SNCF Réseau in 2019. In addition, no charge has been brought against three people who participated in the organization and performance of the testing. this TGV and placed under the more favorable status of assisted witness.

“It's a prescription without surprise, a little disappointing.

The judges could have left it to the court to judge the natural persons who were not on the train and who planned the tests, ”said Me Gérard Chemla, lawyer for several families of victims.

He hopes for a “quickly” trial which will detail “all the faults” that have been committed.

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