German train collision caused by "human error": prosecutors

The train collision killing 11 and injuring about 80 people in southern Germany a week ago was caused by "human error with catastrophic consequences," German prosecutors announced Tuesday.

According to German prosecutor Wolfgang Giese, the 39-year-old experienced dispatcher is being investigated right now for involuntary manslaughter, bodily harm and dangerous intervention in railway traffic.

"If he had followed the rules as required by his duty, this collision would not have happened," Giese said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, Giese emphasized that it is a negligent act, not a deliberate one or an act leading to a punishment of up to five years in jail, and that the dispatcher is currently not in custody.

In addition, he noted that no technical failures of the trains, or of the signal or brake system have been recognized.

Reports of the investigation show that the dispatcher began his service at five o'clock local time on the day of the incident and 71 passengers including 19 seriously injured were interrogated as witnesses.

The collision occurred in Bad Aibling in the southern German state of Bavaria.

Local police president Robert Kopp said at the press conference that there is no evident of alcohol, since a breath alcohol analysis in which the dispatcher have taken shows a score of 0.0.

At the moment, it still needs to be clarified by investigators, who when still had the possibility to prevent the disaster. Endit