ISTANBUL (AP) — A court in Turkey sentenced nine rail officials to more than 108 years' imprisonment over a crash six years ago that killed 25 people, local media reported on Thursday.
A passenger train operated by Turkish State Railways derailed in July 2018 as it passed through Corlu district some 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Istanbul.
The train was traveling from Unlukopru, near the Greek border, to Istanbul’s Halkali station, Turkey’s main rail route to Europe. Seven children were among the dead and more than 300 people were injured.
An expert report submitted to Corlu 1st High Criminal Court said a rail embankment had collapsed due to heavy rain and found the railways operator at fault for not taking precautions against severe weather conditions. The collapse of the embankment above a culvert left six carriages lying on their sides.
Photographs taken in the aftermath of the crash showed no ground support under a section of rail above the culvert.
Thirteen Turkish Railways officials stood trial for “causing death and injury by negligence.” Four were acquitted.
State-run Anadolu News Agency reported that Turkish Railways’ regional manager at the time was jailed for 17 and a half years, the heaviest sentence. The shortest sentence was eight years, four months given to a deputy rail maintenance manager.
Families of the victims have campaigned for wider accountability for the crash, demanding senior managers at rail company as well as Transport Ministry officials also face charges.
Misra Oz, whose nine-year-old son died in the crash, has been the most prominent face of the families’ grievances. Three years ago, she was fined the equivalent of $1,250 for “insulting public officials” in relation to the disaster.
Speaking to a crowd of hundreds before the hearing, Oz said that “today the people really responsible and who made the decisions that caused negligence are not here” and called for to “end this policy of impunity. “
In a statement issued after the hearing, the victims’ families said the case would “not end unless the high-ranking officials are put on trial.”
The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Ozgur Ozel, was one of several politicians who attended the trial.
“Perhaps we are seeing that public officials are being punished for the first time, that the culture of impunity is set back for the first time,” he said after the sentencing.
In recent years Turkey has sought to modernize its rail network, building several high-speed inter-city lines, but most passengers still prefer air or road travel. In the country’s worst recent rail disaster, 41 people were killed and 80 injured in 2004 when a high-speed train derailed in the northwestern province of Sakarya.
FILE - An overturned train car is seen near a village at Tekirdag province, Turkey on July 8, 2018. A court in Turkey sentenced nine rail officials to more than 108 years' imprisonment over a train crash six years ago that killed 25 people, local media reported on Thursday, April 25, 2024. A passenger train operated by Turkish State Railways, or TCDD, derailed in July 2018 as it passed through Corlu district some 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Istanbul. (Mehmet Yirun/DHA-Depo Photos via AP)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — It wasn’t supposed to look this comfortable for Real Madrid — even for a team which is nearly always a strong contender to win the Spanish league.
Not after Karim Benzema left for even bigger money in Saudi Arabia and injuries wiped out the heart of Madrid's defense.
But Jude Bellingham took Spain by storm, Vinícius Júnior did what the super-talented Brazilian does, and Madrid’s backups rose to the challenge as Madrid clinched its record-extending 36th Spanish league title on Saturday with four games left.
Carlo Ancelotti's team will now focus on trying to beat Bayern Munich to reach another Champions League final. The winner will play either Borussia Dortmund or Paris Saint-Germain.
Here's how Real Madrid did it:
BELLINGHAM BOOM
Madrid hit the jackpot when it secured the transfer of Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund. He was given the No. 5 jersey of Zinedine Zidane, along with the pressure of having put Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric on the bench.
But nobody expected the 20-year-old England midfielder to adapt so quickly and become a lethal attacking and scoring threat.
Either slaloming past defenders to lead the attack or arriving at the box in a second wave, Bellingham struck 18 of his team-high 22 goals in the domestic league. He scored on his debut for a win at Athletic Bilbao and never looked back, finding the net in his first four league games and then also scoring in his first four Champions League group matches.
He solidified his status as Madrid’s new star by scoring winning goals in both Spanish league “clasico” games against Barcelona, including a late strike last month. He also scored in both games against upstart challenger Girona to quash its hopes of giving Madrid a run for the title.
“Everyone expected us to slip up, and we didn’t slip up," Ancelotti said after Madrid won the title. "Bellingham’s goal against Barcelona gave us the advantage. We had a lot of continuity from the first to the last game.”
NO STRIKER, NO PROBLEM
Benzema, Gonzalo Higuaín, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Raúl — Real Madrid always wants a big-name striker up front. So when Benzema left a year after leading the club to its 14th European Cup and the club could only bring in Joselu Mato in his place, its attack was supposed to suffer.
Ancelotti swapped his 4-3-3 for a 4-4-2 formation, played with a talented midfield led by Bellingham and Toni Kroos and left his attack to Vinícius and Rodrygo.
Vinícius thrived once again, despite being targeted for racial abuse from some opposing fans, and has scored 13 goals in the league. Rodrygo has had an erratic campaign but has still scored 10 times, while Joselu chipped in with nine more goals in limited minutes.
Eduardo Camavinga also solidified his spot as a versatile workhorse in midfield, along with Federico Valverde.
BACKUPS STEP UP
Perhaps the greatest surprise for Madrid, however, was how well its defense performed after it lost goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who returned Saturday, and defenders Éder Militão and David Alaba to serious leg injuries at the start of the season.
Andriy Lunin, a rarely used backup to Courtois, took and kept the starting job after Kepa was brought in as an emergency replacement. Antonio Rudiger showed his experience by becoming the team’s undisputed leader in defense, while Nacho Fernández also filled in nicely for Alaba.
FLAWED RIVALS
Barcelona looked to have improved its squad that won the 2023 title after signing Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City and acquiring João Félix and João Cancelo on loan. But Barcelona had some painful defeats and was unable to compete with a Madrid side that has only lost once in the league through 34 rounds.
Atletico Madrid's bid was derailed by nagging injuries to Antoine Griezmann and Álvaro Morata, while Girona had already far exceeded expectations just by getting near to the runaway leader.
FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT
If having Bellingham and Vinícius, who is 23, leading a young squad wasn’t enough to point to a bright future, Madrid is hoping to welcome the best forward in soccer this summer.
PSG star Kylian Mbappé is expected to sign for Real Madrid, potentially after the French champion faces Madrid in the Champions League final.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid supporters celebrate in Cibeles Square in Madrid after their team clinched the La Liga title, Saturday, May 4, 2024. Real, who had won earlier in the day, clinched the title after Barcelona failed to beat Girona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A Real Madrid supporter celebrates in Cibeles Square in Madrid after their team clinched the La Liga title, Saturday, May 4, 2024. Real, who had won earlier in the day, clinched the title after Barcelona failed to beat Girona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, center right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid supporters celebrate in Cibeles Square in Madrid after their team clinched the La Liga title, Saturday, May 4, 2024. Real, who had won earlier in the day, clinched the title after Barcelona failed to beat Girona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
