MEXICO CITY ( Associated Press) — A collision between two subway trains that killed one and injured a hundred earlier in the month in Mexico’s capital was the result of the system’s cables being burned and severed, the company announced Friday. , Attorney General. The ruling confirms the initial version put forth by the authorities about a possible sabotage to the transport system, which led to the dispatch of 6,000 National Guardsmen to guard the stations.
After the investigation, which lasted three weeks, the spokesman for the Mexico City Attorney General’s office, Ulises Lara, explained that the accident between two trains on Line 3 of the Metro, which occurred on the morning of January 7, was the result of “at Potrero station”. Intentional burning and cutting of cables located in two connection registers containing electrical, communication, signaling and automatic piloting wiring”.
The assessment determined that “fire and tools” had been used to damage the electrical wiring connections and that the malicious act “seriously affected the power supply, communications, signaling and automatic piloting, which greatly affected the metro’s operation”. affected the operation of Line 3″, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. He added that these actions “may amount to the crime of sabotage.”
The Public Ministry indicated that the investigation would continue to find those responsible “internal or external” to the Metro.
Likewise, the prosecutor’s office announced that a judicial process had been initiated and arrested the driver of one of the trains involved in the accident, whom they identified as Carlos Alfredo “N”, for possible crimes of homicide and injuries. went.
According to officials, the driver of Train 24 “did not follow” the guidelines of the technical manual, “exceeded” the speed limit, “switched to driving on automatic piloting” when safety gear is prohibited and did not notify checkpoint changes. in driving.
Regarding an incident in the subway system on January 15, when there was an unplugging of two wagons, the prosecutor’s office indicated that the investigation determined that “maneuvers were carried out in the position and cleaning of a screw of the carriage hitch in a serious manner”. with intent to cause the incident”, for which an investigation was launched to establish the possible culprits.
A few days after the January 7 incident, the pro-government mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, claimed that some of the recent metro incidents were “unusual incidents” and announced that security of the popular transportation system would be beefed up to prevent new incidents. reinforced with about 6,000 national guardsmen.
The mobilization of National Guard troops was questioned by some humanitarian organizations and opponents, who considered the measure another step in the militarization of the country.
In May 2021, 26 people died and nearly a hundred were injured when an elevated section of Line 12 of the Mexico City Subway collapsed. The collapse was caused by a structural failure which was caused by deficiencies in the construction process. As a result of the accident, ten former employees facing trial were charged with manslaughter, injuries and property damage.
The Mexico City Metro, which is 226.49 kilometers long and has 195 stations, serves 4.6 million passengers every day.
