Swiss tunnel crash driver had drank

Eleven people died in the Gotthard tunnel fire

BELLINZONA, Switzerland -- The lorry driver accused of causing the crash in a Swiss Alpine tunnel in which he and 10 others died was under the influence of alcohol, investigators have said.

Forensic experts could not determine the level of alcohol from the traces they found, said Antonio Perugini, district attorney for the state of Ticino.

"However, there is no doubt that there was alcohol in the body before death," Perugini said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The crash happened on October 24 in the Gotthard tunnel after a lorry swerved in front of a similar vehicle carrying tyres.

The ensuing blaze raised temperatures in the tunnel to 2,200 degrees Celsius, incinerating vehicles and destroying a stretch of roof.

MORE STORIES Timeline: Past tunnel disasters    RESOURCES Picture gallery: Swiss disaster

Perugini said the driver's name was Aslan Seyfi, a 45-year-old Turkish citizen driving a Belgian-registered truck carrying insulation.

His body, identified by DNA analysis, was found 300 yards from the crash site, just short of an escape door, the prosecutor said.

The body of the other lorry driver, a Paraguayan who also held Italian citizenship, was found in his burnt-out cab and also identified by DNA analysis, officials said.

Survivors reported that the Paraguayan driver had reached safety but made the fatal mistake of returning to his vehicle to retrieve something, officials said.

The other victims died of smoke poisoning or asphyxiation, the officials said.

The Gotthard tunnel is expected to remain closed for months

The final death toll of 11 -- 10 men and one woman, mostly European nationals -- was far less than initially feared.

Many drivers were able to turn their cars around and escape, and some lorries and even a tourist bus were able to back out.

Other people fled to safety on foot through emergency exits.

The 10.6 miles tunnel, which is the second-longest road tunnel in the world, is a major link between Italy and northern Europe.

Authorities have said they hope to restore the tunnel to limited car traffic by December, but it will likely remain closed to trucks until spring.