A serious railway accident hit Spain on Wednesday at 08:53 (07:53 GMT) near the village of Urda, about 130 kilometres south of Madrid. This is the second serious railway accident in the country this year. A Renfe train operated by the state company, carrying nearly 400 passengers, crashed from behind into a stationary train of the Spanish private company Iryo, which was carrying 152 people. Both trains had departed from Madrid’s Atocha station bound for Seville.
At around 08:30, the LZB automatic signalling system failed, forcing six trains on a 69-kilometre stretch to stop, including the two trains involved. Traffic control was transferred to the Madrid control centre, which authorised the Renfe train to resume its journey despite the signalling failure. Transport Minister Oscar Puente called this decision “inexplicable”, stressing that a red signal should have kept the train stopped. Speed in that section could reach 200 km/h.
The force of the impact caused two carriages of the Iryo train to leave the rails and end up on an embankment, where they were partially destroyed. With the death toll still provisional, this accident is the deadliest railway disaster in Spain since 2013, when a derailment left 80 dead. It is the country’s second railway tragedy this year, after a collision in Andalusia in January that killed 46 people. An investigation is underway to determine the cause, with questions raised about infrastructure maintenance and safety. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised a full investigation. Rail services remain suspended between Madrid and Andalusia, with Renfe to provide alternative transport.
Source: France 24 Live News