SNCF guilty of involuntary homicide for 2015 accident that killed 11
Two workers have also been handed suspended prison sentences
The accident happened during a test session of the TGV Est line on November 14, 2015
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French train company SNCF has been found guilty of ‘involuntary homicide and injuries’, and fined €400,000, for its role in a high-speed rail accident in 2015 that killed 11 people.
The Paris Criminal Court announced its final ruling on October 10. The case relates to an accident that happened during a test session of the TGV Est line on November 14, 2015. A total of 11 people were killed and 42 were injured in the incident, which happened at Eckwersheim (Bas-Rhin).
The court also found that Systra - the engineering company responsible for train tests - was found to “bear the greatest responsibility” for the accident. It was fined €225,000.
SNCF Réseau (the company responsible for managing the tracks) was fined €150,000 for its role.
Along with five of the six defendants in the case, SNCF overall was found guilty of “manslaughter and unintentional injury through clumsiness, imprudence, negligence or failure to fulfil a safety obligation”.
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Lawyer for 40 of the prosecuting civil parties, Gérard Chemla, told FranceInfo he was “satisfied” with the ruling, and added: “They are all responsible, so they are all guilty.”
Driver given seven-month suspended prison sentence
The driver of the train, named as Denis T., was handed a seven-month suspended prison sentence. His colleague Francis L., who was responsible for indicating braking points to the driver, was given a 15-month suspended prison sentence.
Philippe B., a Systra agent responsible for informing the driver of special features of the track, was acquitted.
None of the three men was present at the hearing.
