Hong Kong’s MTR Corp hires independent expert to look into train faults
Company will address earlier malfunctions after authorities pledged to audit rail giant’s maintenance capabilities last month
Hong Kong’s rail operator has commissioned an independent investigation into faults that left engineering trains stranded on the tracks and led to two disruptions in three months on the same line.
The MTR Corporation’s chairman, Rex Auyeung, said on Wednesday that the firm had hired an independent expert to look into the incidents after authorities last month expressed grave concerns and pledged to conduct a special audit of the rail giant’s maintenance capabilities.
“About the two incidents, I hope that it won’t happen again and I would like to apologise to the affected passengers,” he said.
“We will conduct an independent investigation and we’ve invited an independent expert to review the overall operation of our engineering trains and see what improvements need to be made.”
According to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, preliminary findings suggested that the incident in April was due to an equipment fault that hindered the train’s lifting platform from descending.