Excessive Speed to Blame for Morocco’s Tragic Train Derailment

Excessive speed of 158 km/h was to blame for the train derailment in Bouknadel, a town near Rabat, which left seven people dead and 125 others injured on October 16, the general prosecutor’s office at Salé first instance court said.

The driver was arrested and will be tried on charges of involuntary homicide, the prosecutor said in a statement.

The train was traveling at 158 km/h while the allowed speed in that section was 60 km/h, the statement said.

The high number of casualties along with the initial silence of the national rail company ONCF following the accident sparked outrage in Morocco.

After the crash, King Mohammed VI gave orders to the Ministers of the Interior and Transport to visit the site and evacuate the wounded to the Mohammed V military hospital in Rabat in order to receive the necessary treatment, a statement by the royal Office had then said.

The King also decided to take care of the expenses of the funerals and burial of the victims.