Soure train crash
{{Infobox public transit accident
| name = Soure train crash
| image = CP 4005 (14127979756).jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt = Photograph of the train involved
| caption = Unit 4005, the train involved in the accident
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| coordinates = {{coord|40|03|28|N|8|38|18|W|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| date = {{Start date|2020|07|31|df=y}}
| time = 15:26
| location = Soure
| location_dir =
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| country = Portugal
| line = Linha do Norte
| operator = Comboios de Portugal / Infraestruturas de Portugal
| owner =
| service = Lisbon - Braga
| type = Collision
| cause = Human error (SPAD){{cite web|url=https://www.publico.pt/2020/08/01/sociedade/noticia/erro-humano-causou-acidente-alfa-pendular-soure-operadores-maquina-passaram-sinal-vermelho-1926699|title=Erro humano causou acidente com Alfa Pendular em Soure. Operadores da máquina passaram o sinal vermelho |trans-title=Human error caused accident with Alfa Pendular in Soure. Machine operators passed the red light |accessdate=9 August 2020 |date=1 August 2020 |publisher=Público|language=Portuguese}}
| bus =
| trains = 2
| vehicles =
| passengers = 212
| crew = 2 (VCC) + 2 (passenger train)
| pedestrians =
| deaths = 2 (in the VCC)
| injuries = 44
| damage =
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The Soure train crash occurred on 31 July 2020 when a high-speed passenger train collided with a track maintenance vehicle at {{rws|Soure}}, Portugal. Two people were killed and 44 were injured, three seriously.
Accident
On the day of the accident, the maintenance vehicle ({{langx|pt|Veículo de Conservação de Catenária}} - VCC) No. 105, belonging to Infraestruturas de Portugal, was circulating between Entroncamento and Mangualde with two crew members on board while not carrying out maintenance.{{cite web|title=Veículo abalroado pelo Alfa passou sinal vermelho em Soure|journal=Jornal de Notícias|date=1 August 2020|url=https://www.jn.pt/local/noticias/coimbra/soure/veiculo-de-conservacao-de-catenaria-passou-sinal-vermelho-12488255.html|accessdate=2 August 2020}} Around 15:12, it stopped at a Soure station siding, to allow Alfa Pendular train 4005 to overtake it.{{cite web|title=Soure: Veículo de Conservação de Catenária passou sinal vermelho|journal=Notícias de Leiria|date=1 August 2020|url=https://www.noticiasdeleiria.pt/soure-veiculo-de-conservacao-de-catenaria-passou-sinal-vermelho/|accessdate=4 August 2020}} The Alfa Pendular train was travelling from Lisbon to Braga, calling at Coimbra and Porto.
The crew of the maintenance vehicle likely mistook the green signal meant for the Alfa Pendular train as applying to the siding it was stopped at,{{cite web|url=http://www.gisaf.gov.pt/wwwbase/wwwinclude/ficheiro.aspx?tipo=0&mid=132&id=12084&ambiente=WebSiteMenu|title=Collision of trains at Soure station, on 31 July 2020 - Safety Investigation Final Report|publisher=Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves e de Acidentes Ferroviários|language=pt-pt,en|format=PDF|date=29 September 2021|access-date=16 December 2021}}{{rp|15}} and the vehicle resumed its course at 15:25, passing a red signal and entering track I, which would soon be occupied by train 4005. As the track became occupied by the maintenance vehicle, the track I signal changed to red and the Alfa Pendular's brakes were activated, but due to the short distance between the two vehicles, this was not sufficient to avoid the collision, which happened around 15:26, about 20 seconds after the maintenance vehicle entered the line.
Due to the violence of the collision, the first two carriages were derailed and the maintenance vehicle was dragged for some 500 meters, after which both vehicles came to a halt.{{cite web|url=https://www.lusa.pt/article/YzJVgt5EpuW2sPl_2CYowjMSZM5iuSI1/alfa-acidente-v%C3%ADtimas-mortais-no-descarrilamento-em-soure-eram-trabalhadores-da-refer-top-five-news|title=Alfa/Acidente: Vítimas mortais no descarrilamento em Soure eram trabalhadores da REFER|author=Lusa|date=31 July 2020|accessdate=31 July 2020}} The passenger train was travelling at {{convert|190|km/h|mph}} at the time of the collision.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53615259 |title=Coimbra train crash: Two dead after train derails in Portugal |publisher=BBC News Online |date=31 July 2020 |accessdate=1 August 2020}}
The alert was given some short minutes after the crash, and fire brigades from surrounding cities responded. The rescue operations were backed by 225 first responders and 85 emergency vehicles, as well as 2 helicopters.{{Cite web|title=Imagens de drone mostram dimensão do acidente com alfa pendular em Soure - Portugal|url=https://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/video--imagens-de-drone-mostram-dimensao-do-acidente-com-alfa-pendular-em-soure|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Correio da Manhã}}
Two people were killed and 44 were injured, three seriously.{{cite web|date=1 October 2021|title=Relatório final da investigação à colisão de comboio Alfa Pendular com veículo de manutenção na estação de Soure, em 31-07-2020|trans-title=Final report of the investigation into the collision of an Alfa Pendular train with a maintenance vehicle at Soure station, on 31-07-2020|url=https://www.gisaf.gov.pt/?lnk=25c7be18-4e6d-4411-a7eb-3dc2163727c6|accessdate=5 September 2023|publisher=Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves e de Acidentes Ferroviários - GPIAAF|language=Portuguese}} The two casualties were the crew members aboard the maintenance vehicle. The Alfa Pendular train was severely damaged and VCC No. 105 was destroyed.{{cite web|last=Speare-Cole|first=Rebecca|date=31 July 2020|title=Portugal train crash: Two dead and at least 37 injured as high-speed train collides with maintenance vehicle|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/portugal-train-crash-dead-injured-a4513986.html|accessdate=1 August 2020|publisher=The Evening Standard}} Two rescue helicopters and 163 rescue personnel were sent to the scene, where a field hospital was established. That section of the Linha do Norte was suspended and Comboios de Portugal organized a rail replacement bus during the time the track was closed.{{cite web|title=Identificadas as vítimas do acidente com o Alfa Pendular em Soure|author=CAMPOS, João Pedro|journal=Jornal de Notícias|date=31 July 2020|url=https://www.jn.pt/nacional/identificadas-as-vitimas-do-acidente-com-o-alfa-pendular-em-soure-12487426.html|accessdate=1 August 2020}} Circulation on the southbound track resumed at 01:45 on the 2nd of August, 2020, with heavy speed restrictions. At 09:00 of the same day, the northbound track was reopened.{{cite web|title=Acidente da Linha do Norte - Comunicado|publisher=Infraestruturas de Portugal|date=3 August 2020|url=https://www.infraestruturasdeportugal.pt/pt-pt/centro-de-imprensa/acidente-na-linha-do-norte-comunicado|accessdate=4 August 2020}}
Investigation and aftermath
File:Comboios de Portugal DSC 3721 (25143706342).jpg
The Aviation Accidents Prevention and Investigation Department (GPIAAF) opened an investigation into the accident.{{cite web|date=31 July 2020|title=NOTA INFORMATIVA DE ACIDENTE|trans-title=Notice informing of accident|url=http://www.gisaf.gov.pt/wwwbase/wwwinclude/ficheiro.aspx?tipo=0&mid=132&id=12064&ambiente=WebSiteMenu|accessdate=1 August 2020|publisher=Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves e de Acidentes Ferroviários - GPIAAF|language=Portuguese}} The investigation's final report was released on 29 September 2021.
In the wake of this accident, the absence of automatic train protection (ATP) in maintenance vehicles was scrutinized.{{cite web|title=Dois mortos em acidente com alfa pendular na zona de Soure |trans-title=Two killed in accident with alfa pendular in the Soure area |publisher=SIC Notícias |date=31 July 2020 |url=https://sicnoticias.pt/pais/2020-07-31-Dois-mortos-em-acidente-com-alfa-pendular-na-zona-de-Soure|accessdate=10 August 2020 }} It came to light that, in 2018, after several events where such vehicles passed signals at danger, GPIAAF recommended that IP reassess the possibility of equipping these vehicles with ATP and act to ensure train driving qualifications of their maintenance staff.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/ip-comprometeu-se-ha-dois-anos-instalar-sistema-convel-em-veiculos-de-conservacao-de-catenaria_n1249145|title=IP comprometeu-se há dois anos instalar sistema CONVEL em Veículos de Conservação de Catenária |trans-title=IP committed two years ago to install CONVEL system in Catenary Conservation Vehicles |language=Portuguese |publisher=RTP|author=Lusa|accessdate=10 August 2020 }} IP agreed to install ATP, but this was met with difficulties in sourcing CONVEL-compatible equipment from Bombardier.{{cite web|url=https://www.publico.pt/2020/08/03/economia/noticia/ip-monopolio-europeu-travou-solucao-evitava-acidente-soure-1926909|title=IP diz que monopólio europeu travou solução que evitava acidente de Soure |trans-title=IP says European monopoly hampered solution that could have prevented the Soure accident |language=Portuguese|publisher=Público|author=Carlos Cipriano|accessdate=10 August 2020 |date=8 August 2020 }} {{subscription required|s}}
While the suspected cause is human error — the driver passing the signal at danger — ATP would have prevented this accident by braking the maintenance vehicle. Its incursion into the reserved block was, however, detected by the track circuit and signals were updated accordingly, but the passenger train had already passed the previous signal and balise, and proceeded at top speed expecting a clear track ahead.