Kocaeli conducts massive high‑speed train crash drill in Gebze

A large‑scale emergency exercise was staged at the TCDD Gebze Vagon Maintenance Workshop to simulate a high‑speed train accident. The drill involved 159 personnel from Kocaeli, Sakarya and Yalova, including teams from Turkish State Railways, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), volunteer search‑and‑rescue units (UMKE), police, fire services and municipal rescue units. Participants practiced rapid response, field hospital setup, victim extraction and swift transport to nearby hospitals.

Kocaeli Provincial Health Directorate Director Yüksel Pehlevan said the exercise aimed to test the reflexes and inter‑agency integration of emergency services, noting that the same capabilities are relevant for earthquakes, fires and other disasters. The drill highlighted regional cooperation and readiness to protect public safety in the event of a real rail incident or other large‑scale emergencies.