In March, two trams collided in Rostock. 27 people were injured, some seriously. The cause is said to have been a mistake by a driver - now charges have been filed.

Rostock (dpa / mv) - A tram driver is to answer in court for a serious tram accident with 27 injuries in Rostock. As a spokeswoman for the Rostock public prosecutor said on Friday, charges of negligent bodily harm and endangering tram traffic have now been brought against the 45-year-old. The trial is scheduled to take place in early 2023 before the district court in Rostock.

In the accident on March 2, one of the two trains involved suddenly drove in the wrong direction and collided head-on with the other train. The reason is said to have been a driving error by the accused. According to the police, ten of the 27 injured were seriously injured. A car was also damaged by flying debris. Both tracks were so destroyed that they were considered a total loss. The total damage was estimated at around 1.2 million euros.

The Rostocker Strassenbahn AG (RSAG) had evaluated tachographs and video recordings together with the police. It came out that the suspect's train had turned left in the direction of the main station, deviating from the direction in which it was traveling, and had collided with the oncoming train there. The accident happened at a busy intersection, which led to long traffic jams and the car traffic had to be diverted over a wide area.