At least 68 dead in Spain's second major train crash this year
RAIL•At least 68 people died after two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid. Spain's transport minister said a Renfe train was authorised to continue past an active red signal after a computer communications failure and an erroneous decision to restart it.
1. Crash and rescue effort
At least 68 people died when two high-speed trains collided on Wednesday south of Madrid, and rescuers continued searching the wreckage for victims. At least three carriages plunged down an embankment, and authorities had not immediately provided a figure for the injured.
2. Possible cause under investigation
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a computer communications failure triggered a red signal because a train was stationary on the track ahead. He said the Renfe train was authorised to continue despite the signal, an erroneous decision that breached protocol. Renfe said its train continued as instructed and struck the stationary Iryo train; the exact sequence of events and circumstances remain to be established by an investigation.
3. Earlier crash and rail investment
A January crash involving trains on the same line killed 46 people. Spain's railway safety authority recorded 69 accidents last year, up from 45 in 2016, while European Commission data showed that about 16% of Spain's average annual high-speed rail spending from 2018 to 2022 went to maintenance, renewal and upgrades.
