Confusion over train crash report

CHINESE authorities have refused to comment after the deadline for a public report into a bullet train crash that killed 40 in late July passed this week.

Wang Mengshu, a railway expert and deputy director of the investigation team, yesterday climbed down from comments in the state-run Beijing Times newspaper quoting him as saying the crash near the eastern city of Wenzhou largely resulted from mismanagement.

State media yesterday carried reports of Mr Wang claiming he was misquoted and that his comments were only his personal opinion.

Shortly after the accident, authorities blamed problems with signalling systems for the crash, but they have since backed away from that analysis.

The Beijing Times report quoted Mr Wang as saying that the lack of problems with the same signalling systems on other lines suggests human error was to blame.