State files indictment against Israel Railways

National train company accused of criminal negligence in Revadim, Ahuzam crashes; three senior administrators accused.

By DAN IZENBERG
israel train 88 248 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
israel train 88 248
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The Southern District Attorney's Office filed an indictment on Wednesday against Israel Railways and three of its senior officials, holding them responsible for two accidents that took place within 17 days in which seven people were killed and 311 were injured. Both train crashes took place at surface intersections between the railroad tracks and a highway. The first occurred on June 21, 2005, near Kibbutz Revadim, southeast of Gedara, and the second on July 8, 2005, near Moshav Ahuzam, south of Kiryat Gat. Included in the indictment were Surin Shiubitz, deputy director of the infrastructure maintenance department, Iliya Volkov, deputy director-general of the planning and development division, and Harel Even, head of the traffic department. The indictment includes two charges, in accordance with the two accidents. With regard to the crash near Revadim, all the suspects were charged with causing death through negligence and causing injury through negligence. With regard to the Ahuzam case, they were charged with causing injury through negligence and for not taking measures such as closing the intersection or repairing the problem, even though employees had warned them that the slopes at the intersection could be dangerous. According to the indictment, Shiubitz's responsibilities included maintenance of the surface intersections, determining speed limits, and monitoring trains to see that the speed limits were observed. Volkov was responsible for planning and implementing development and maintenance work on the tracks, while Even was in charge of the command room at Israel Railways and therefore received reports from the field regarding security problems along the track. He was supposed to issue warnings and determine speed limits for conductors. The trial will be held in Ashkelon Magistrate's Court.