A sudden strong wind caused the deadly derailment of a JR train in Yamagata Prefecture, and thus East Japan Railway Co. should not be held responsible, a transport ministry panel said in a report released Wednesday.
The express train, running at about 100 kph on the JR Uetsu Line on Christmas Day, 2005, was overturned by wind gusting to around 144 kph, according to the final report by the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission.
All six cars of the Inaho No. 14 bound for Niigata from Akita derailed in Shonai. The first three cars fell off the railroad embankment and tipped over, killing five passengers in the first car and injuring 33 of the 46 passengers on the train.