Çorlu train derailment case concludes after 6 years

The Çorlu 1st Heavy Penal Court has issued its final ruling on the 2018 Çorlu train derailment case, resulting in seven state railway officials receiving prison sentences while four others were acquitted. This devastating incident, which occurred in 2018 in the Çorlu district of Tekirdağ Province, claimed the lives of 25 individuals and left 328 others injured, including seven children.

The tragedy unfolded on July 8, 2018, when a regional passenger train traveling on the Uzunköprü-Halkalı line derailed near the village of Sarılar in Çorlu. Heavy rainfall caused the soil beneath the tracks to shift, leading to the derailment of five out of six train cars. Of the 362 passengers and six crew members on board, 24 lost their lives, and 318 were injured. While 276 lightly injured passengers were discharged after treatment, 42 severely injured victims continued to receive medical care in hospitals across Tekirdağ, Çorlu, and Istanbul.

Following the conclusion of the trial and the hearing of final defense statements from the 13 defendants, the court delivered its verdict:

1. Nihat Aslan, the former Regional Director of TCDD (Turkish State Railways), received a 15-year prison sentence.
2. Turgut Kurt, the former Maintenance Manager of TCDD, was sentenced to 16 years and 3 months in prison.
3. Mümin Karasu, the Maintenance Service Manager, initially received a 21-year sentence, reduced to 17 years and 6 months due to his clean criminal record.
4. Levent Meriçli, Deputy Manager responsible for Maintenance Service Areas, received an 11-year sentence, reduced to 9 years and 2 months based on his criminal record.
5. Nizamettin Aras, Deputy Maintenance Manager for the First Region, was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months.
6. TCDD engineers Tevfik Baran Önder, Deniz Parlak, and Kubilay Başkaya received sentences of 10 years, 9 years 2 months, and 9 years 2 months, respectively.
7. Özkan Polat, Chief of Track Maintenance and Repair, was sentenced to 12 years and 9 months.

The court also acquitted several individuals, including Levent Kaytan, Burhan Ortancıl, Çetin Yıldırım, and Celaleddin Çabuk, who held various positions related to track maintenance and inspection.

Prior to the verdict, families of the victims gathered in front of the Çorlu Power Plant and marched to the Çorlu Public Education Center, where the trial took place. Holding banners demanding justice, they chanted slogans emphasizing accountability and justice. Notable political figures, including CHP (Republican People's Party) leader Özgür Özel, joined the demonstration in solidarity with the grieving families. (RT/VK)