BEIJING - A long-awaited government report said design flaws and sloppy management caused a bullet-train crash in July that killed 40 people and triggered a public outcry over the dangers of China's showcase transportation system.
A former railway minister was among 54 officials found responsible for the crash, a Cabinet statement said Wednesday. Several were ordered dismissed from the Communist Party posts but there was no word of possible criminal penalties.
The crash report was highly anticipated. The disaster near the southern city of Wenzhou also injured 177 people and had triggered criticism over the high cost and dangers of the bullet train system, a prestige project that once enjoyed lofty status on a level with China's manned space program.
The Cabinet statement cited "serious design flaws and major safety risks" and what it said were a string of errors in equipment procurement and management. It also criticized the Railways Ministry's rescue efforts.
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The report affirmed earlier government statements that a lightning strike caused one bullet train to stall and then a sensor failure and missteps by train controllers allowed a second train to slam into it.
