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Page last updated at 14:03 GMT, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 15:03 UK

Lights call after track tragedy

James Craig was driving the tractor
Farmer James Craig died in the accident near Limavady

Warning lights at an unmanned level crossing in County Londonderry could have prevented a man's death, an inquest jury has found.

James Craig, 70, from Ballykelly, died when his tractor was in collision with a train at the unmanned crossing at Carse Road near Limavady last August.

At the inquest in Derry, the jury found Mr Craig died of multiple injuries.

The Northern Ireland coroner, John Leckey, said Translink should consider the jury's findings on warning lights.

During the inquest on Tuesday, the jury was shown CCTV footage of the Derry to Belfast train colliding with Mr Craig's tractor while he was on his way to bail straw.

The jurors were told that a combination of the position of the sun, the noise from the tractor and the partial obstruction of Mr Craig's view of the track caused by the roof pillar support in his cab were factors in the tragedy.

Mr Craig was killed instantly.

A safety review of the risk level at the crossing was carried out by Translink at the time of the accident.




SEE ALSO
Crossing cited in rail line death
24 Apr 08 |  Northern Ireland
Investigation into track tragedy
03 Aug 07 |  Northern Ireland
Man killed in tractor/train crash
02 Aug 07 |  Northern Ireland

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