Southern District Attorney has drafted indictments charging those respnsible for two train accidents that occurred in 2005.
The first accident happened when a train traveling southbound to Be'er Sheva crashed into a truck crossing the tracks on a dirt road near Kibbutz Revadim. Seven people were killed and 200 injured.
Only three weeks later, near Moshav Achuzam, 64 people were wounded in another train accident.
The District Attorney is indicting all suspects for criminal negligence. Those who were also involved in the Revadim accident are being charged with negligent homicide.
Revadim accident: Precautions were not used (Photo: Tomeriko)
The first indictment will be served against the Israel Railways company and several of its high-ranking employees. According to the draft, they are responsible for the first accident, at Revadim, for "not taking reasonable steps to prevent an accident at the crossing."
Among the causes for the accident, the District Attorney's office listed not having a grade separation at the crossing, the scope of activity not being reduced despite the risks, there was no supervisor stationed at the crossing at busy hours, no automatic barrier had been placed and the train company had overlooked the heavy traffic at the site and the many warnings that had been received.
Near-accidents were ignored
Additionally, the train company had ignored several near-accidents that had occurred a month earlier and had not implemented any resolutions made by an internal committee to monitor the crossing and its safety measures.
The attorney's office said that beyond the negligence that led to the first accident, no further steps were taken to close the crossing after the accident, although the general manger of the train company ordered that done immediately.
Olitzky, the earthworks company that owned the truck, and its project manager will be held responsible for disregarding the dangers of working so close to the rail road and not taking any precautions. They did not maintain any contact with the train company management and did not adhere to its instructions.