Assiut train driver: I was not signalled to stop the train

Driver of the train that killed of tens of children in Assiut says crossing guard did not warn him to stop Youssef Yonan, the driver of the train that crashed with the school bus on Saturday in Assiut claimed during investigations that no signal was given to him to stop. Yonan, who was accused by the prosecution of responsiblity for the accident that killed tens of children, said that the track was opened in front of him at the time of the accident, and that the crossing guard did not give him any signal to stop. Meanwhile, the prosecution's investigations has revealed on Saturday that the bus carrying the children was in a decrepit state, adding that it was designed to carry a maximum of 29 passengers, not the 69 who were on board at the time of the tragedy. On Saturday, officials from the Railway Authority had claimed that the bus driver drove the school bus over the tracks despite the fact that the warning lights and sirens were sounding. However, on Sunday, assistant head of the Railway authority in Upper Egypt said that the Mandara rail track where the accident took place is not equipped with sirens at all. Also facing questioning in the case was the former head of Railway authority Mostafa Qenawy, and ex-minister of transportation Rashad El-Metiny. From Ahramonline