Spain investigates deadly train crash as recordings raise questions about rail safety
At least 68 people were killed and dozens injured when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, in Spain’s Toledo province, on Wednesday morning. Authorities have launched an investigation and a large-scale emergency response operation, the BBC reported.
The crash occurred when a Renfe train carrying 397 passengers struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train with 147 passengers on board. Both trains were travelling from Madrid towards Seville.
Preliminary findings suggest a failure in the automatic signaling system forced both trains to stop along the affected section of the railway. However, the Renfe train was later instructed to move, despite another train remaining stationary ahead.
Radio recordings reveal communication problems
Audio recordings of conversations between train drivers and a railway control center in Madrid shortly before the collision show that a dispatcher told the Renfe driver to continue at normal speed after technical problems with the signaling system. The driver asked for confirmation and received permission to proceed.
In another recording, the Iryo driver said his train stopped near Urda because of a communication failure, noting that safety-system problems prevented the train from resuming its journey.
Political reaction and investigation
The incident sparked public outcry across the country, with protests outside the Transport Ministry in Madrid. Approximately 1,500 people took to the streets demanding the resignations of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Transport Minister Óscar Puente. Police used tear gas after some protesters threw bottles and flares.
Sánchez expressed condolences to the victims’ families and declared three days of national mourning. He also promised to take tough measures to improve railway safety.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Union of Railway Drivers announced plans to strike on Thursday, citing railway safety concerns. At the same time, opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for an explanation of the country’s railway infrastructure problems.
Spain’s railway system
Spain has one of the most advanced and extensive railway systems in the world. Its high-speed rail network is the longest in Europe and second-longest globally after China. However, the country has suffered several deadly train crashes throughout its history.
In 2013, a train derailment killed 80 people near Santiago de Compostela. Another deadly train crash near Córdoba claimed 46 lives this January.
