India says train drivers watching cricket caused crash that killed 14 in Andhra Pradesh

The fatal collision in Andhra Pradesh state took place as hosts India played England during the one-day World Cup in October last year

India’s railways minister said on Monday systems would be installed to ‘detect any such distraction’ in future and ensure drivers ‘are fully focused’

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Rescuers from India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) search the site of the fatal train crash in Vizianagaram district of India’s Andhra Pradesh on October 30 last year. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:32pm, 4 Mar 2024Updated: 3:33pm, 4 Mar 2024

The drivers of a train that missed a signal and ploughed into another train, killing 14 people, were distracted because they were watching cricket on a phone, India’s railways minister said Monday.

The fatal collision in Andhra Pradesh state in October took place as hosts India played England during the one-day World Cup.

“The recent case in Andhra Pradesh happened because both the loco-pilot and co-pilot were distracted by the cricket match,” Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

India’s players celebrate after the dismissal of a batter for England during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international match in Lucknow on October 29, 2023. Photo: AFP

“Now we are installing systems which can detect any such distraction and make sure that the pilots [train drivers] and the assistant pilots are fully focused on running the train.”

Hundreds of millions of fans in cricket-crazy India tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the World Cup match, which the hosts won.