Emergency call unused in Gribskovbanen train collision

A preliminary investigation by the Danish Accident Investigation Board reveals that an emergency call function was not used during the April 23, 2026 collision between two trains on the Gribskovbanen line, which injured around 20 people, reports DR.

Lokaltog, the operator of Gribskovbanen, has an “all-call” emergency feature allowing controllers to alert all trains to stop or reduce speed. However, the function was not activated before the head-on crash.

Martin Clante, deputy safety representative for Lokaltog’s train drivers, said the omission was deeply concerning. He had assumed the system would prevent such incidents by alerting drivers to halt or slow down.

“We expect the systems and facilities we operate under to work,” Clante said. He emphasized that his concern was not about assigning blame but ensuring the infrastructure functions as intended.

Claus René Pedersen, Lokaltog’s safety chief, acknowledged the emergency call is rarely used due to its significant operational impact. Instead, controllers typically contact trains directly. In this case, they could not reach one of the trains, and the time between detecting the collision course and impact was only about 90 seconds.

Pedersen said it remains unclear whether an emergency call would have prevented the crash or reduced its severity. Ten people were seriously injured, and 12 suffered minor injuries, including both train drivers.