Ministry launches investigation into Argo Bromo Anggrek derailment

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation is investigating the derailment of the Argo Bromo Anggrek train on Friday (August 1) in Subang District, West Java.

The Director General of Railways, Allan Tandiono, stated that his side has begun an initial investigation into the technical causes of the incident and will be followed by a comprehensive investigation involving PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), and other related parties.

"We will conduct a comprehensive investigation, and the results will form the basis for evaluation and corrective measures to prevent a similar incident from recurring," Tandiono remarked in a statement on Saturday.

Furthermore, his side will continue to monitor infrastructure repairs and track restoration to ensure rail traffic returns to normal.

His team had inspected the incident site and had coordinated intensively with PT KAI, KNKT, and other parties to ensure the appropriate handling of this incident.

"We received a report that the Argo Bromo Anggrek train, running the Pasar Turi Station Surabaya-Gambir Station Jakarta route, experienced a disruption, resulting in five carriages derailing at the track embankment near Pegaden Baru Station, Subang," Tandiono stated.

The ministry expressed its deep concern and empathy over the incident.

"We confirm there were no fatalities in this incident," he remarked.

He reported that the field team from the Bandung Class I Railway Engineering Center had coordinated directly with PT KAI Daop 3 Cirebon to support the passenger evacuation and track restoration process.

A rescue train from Cirebon Station and several buses had been prepared to facilitate the mobilization of affected passengers, he stated.

The Directorate General of Railways has also deployed a crane from Depot 2 Bandung and provided special pads to lift the affected carriages, along with expediting the track normalization process and technical repairs, which are expected to be completed within 8-10 hours.

According to Tandiono, PT KAI has implemented operational adjustments, including reconfiguring travel patterns, to minimize service disruptions.

"We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this incident. Passenger safety remains our priority, and we are committed to improving and ensuring national railway safety standards," he emphasized.