Arrest warrant issued for Turkish railways executive over 2018 Çorlu train accident

A court has issued an arrest warrant for Mümin Karasu, the former deputy director of Turkish State Railways’ (TCDD) 1st Region Railway Maintenance, over the deadly 2018 train crash in the northwestern district of Çorlu that killed 25 people and injured hundreds.

Duvar English

A court has issued an arrest warrant for Mümin Karasu, former deputy director of Turkish State Railways’ (TCDD) 1st Region Railway Maintenance, in the latest hearing against 13 TCDD executives over the 2018 Çorlu train wreck that killed 25 people.

The train crash occurred in 2018 in the northwestern province of Tekirdağ’s Çorlu district. Some 25 people were killed and 318 people injured when a train derailed. Expert reports on the crash have determined that the TCDD is responsible due to negligence. The crash has not been yet thoroughly investigated and those responsible have not been prosecuted by the government.

The Çorlu 1st Heavy Penalty Court on Oct. 6 ruled for the arrest of Mümin Karasu over the charges of "causing the death and injury of more than one person by conscious negligence" at the time of the accident. Since Karasu did not attend the hearing, the court issued an arrest warrant.

The hearing at the Çorlu court lasted approximately 16 hours and was adjourned to Jan. 11.

The relatives of those who died in the crash welcomed the decision.

Mısra Öz, who lost her son Oğuz Arda Sel in the accident, said after the hearing: "Justice has come to Çorlu for the first time. Later on, other responsible people will come to court. We will watch the murderers being tried together. This is our first achievement. Justice. I am very happy and at peace right now.”