Human error was behind the Seac Pai Van LRT accident, officials say

Authorities have concluded that human error was the cause of the recent Light Rail Transit (LRT) accident in which two carriages collided on the Seac Pai Van, leaving four train drivers with minor injuries.

A system failure was ruled out as the cause of the accident, which occurred on May 8th during night tests on the still unopened line.

According to an announcement from the Public Works Bureau last Friday, the incident occurred after a train conductor, who was stationed at the command center at the time, failed to check that all train cars had completed their procedures. The officer then prematurely ordered a driver in one of the carriages to start operating, which resulted in a collision with another carriage.

The office noted that it has already asked relevant stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the train test method, strengthen monitoring measures and procedures, and intensify training of personnel to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents.

(See more: Human error cannot be ruled out as the cause of the Seac Pai Van LRT accident)

The Public Works Bureau says testing on the Seac Pai Van and Hengqin LRT lines will not resume until necessary improvement measures are taken.

With a construction cost of around 939 million patacas and a distance of 1.6 kilometers, the Seac Pai Van line aims to further develop Macao’s LRT network by extending its reach to Seac Pai Van and Union Hospital stations.

An opening date for the Seac Pai Van and Hengqin routes has not yet been announced, although both are expected to begin operations later this year.

Since its opening in 2019, the LRT has experienced a number of technical glitches, some related to power supply issues.