In Slovenia, a passenger train collided today with objects placed on the tracks, the Slovenian Railways management reported. The company is convinced that the incident was an act of sabotage. It is the latest such event in recent weeks in Slovenia, making it yet another European country facing similar incidents.
The incident occurred early in the morning on the Celje–Velenje line. The train ran into tree branches, garden furniture, and a bicycle that had been deliberately placed on the tracks, then continued to the Žalec station where it stopped. Police secured the site and launched an investigation into “a crime involving endangering public transport through dangerous actions or the use of dangerous means.” The electric multiple unit was taken out of service, and replacement bus service was introduced on the line. No one was injured.
In a statement to the media, Slovenian Railways’ director of passenger transport, Miha Butara, expressed his conviction that the situation was an act of sabotage. “This is not ordinary negligence; it is a calculated attempt to cause harm to other people,” Butara said. He expressed hope that the police would find the perpetrators, including those responsible for a similar incident on August 19, when early in the morning in Novo Mesto a passenger train struck railway sleepers that had been deliberately placed on the tracks.
“We are outraged by this type of behavior, which is an intentional action aimed at causing material damage and endangering the safety of our employees and passengers,” Butara declared.
This is the latest in a series of incidents in recent weeks in which unknown perpetrators have damaged railway infrastructure or placed objects on the tracks. Several serious accidents have resulted. In mid-October, a passenger train derailed at the Vintgar station due to the deliberate destruction of a turnout. Earlier, at the Bled Jezero station, employees prevented a derailment after a turnout had been damaged, and near Rakovnik someone placed a large stone on the tracks.
The potentially most dangerous incident occurred on September 29, when deliberate damage to a signal at the Bled Jezero station was discovered. Only the quick reaction of staff prevented a collision between two passenger trains. In connection with these events, both the railway authorities and emergency services are appealing to citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity near railway lines to the police.
As a reminder, an act of railway sabotage also occurred yesterday in Poland. Between Warsaw and Dęblin, an explosive device was detonated, damaging the tracks. Telewizja Republika was the first to report that the incident was sabotage.