Prosecutors believe a train crash which killed 11 people was caused by "human error" on behalf of the train dispatcher.
A criminal investigator has been launched against the train dispatcher, 39, who has not been named, on suspicion of negligent homicide, bodily harm and interference with rail traffic, prosecutors say.
Investigators say that they believe the dispatcher may have sent a wrong signal to the trains. Upon realising his error, he tried to alert the drivers using an emergency call but was unable to prevent the crash. Prosecutors said there was no indication that the man had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The collision occurred when two trains smashed into each other 60km south of Munich, Germany. They were travelling at a speed of 100km/h and collided head on.
They were due to pass each other at a station where the track was divided, however they collided on a single track, at a curve.
More than 80 people were injured.
Chief Prosecutor Wolfgang Giese says a criminal investigation has been launched against the 39-year-old dispatcher. Mr Giese said investigators believe: "had [the dispatcher] behaved according to the rules, the trains would not have collided."
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said safety systems on the track had been checked as recently as a week before the collision.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Germany's Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt said the trains contained black boxes which would be analysed as part of police investigations to establish how events had unfolded.
