Five people suffered serious injuries when two trains on Budapest’s M2 metro line collided early on Monday, public television M1 reported. A train had caught up with and hit the back of another near Pillango street station, leaving 10 other people lightly injured.
The Traffic Safety Organisation said the second train slipped on the rails. Tibor Bolla, the head of Budapest public transport company BKV, said there was no indication of a technical problem. He raised the possibility of human error.
The line between Örs vezér tere and Puskas Ferenc Stadium was closed down for a day. An investigation is under way.
Marcell Gergely Tokody, a municipal representative of radical nationalist party Jobbik, suggested that there might have been safety shortcomings due to “parsimonious funding”. He urged BKV to ensure “long-term and predictable” financing.
The opposition Socialists blamed the crash on the government cutting public transport spending. The party said recent problems along three out of the city’s four metro lines revealed “systemic” shortcomings.
The leftist Democratic Coalition called on Budapest Mayor István Tarlós to investigate, while green opposition LMP said the entire metro network should be checked for faults.
