Confidence in high-speed trains in Spain has been shaken after a collision near Urda, in the province of Toledo, which killed at least 69 people and injured more than 100. The incident on October 28 was the second deadly collision involving high-speed trains in the country this year.
“Confidence in the high-speed rail system has been shaken“, said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, quoted by The Guardian. He assured that the Spanish authorities are “working tirelessly” to provide information to the families of the victims as soon as possible and to clarify the causes of the accident.
According to data presented by the Spanish authorities, 110 people were hospitalized after the collision. Seventy-one have already been discharged, and 39 remain in hospitals. Among those affected are 51 foreign citizens of 23 nationalities. Two of them died, nine were injured, 18 were unharmed, and information is still being collected about the whereabouts or condition of 22 people.
The investigation into the accident is ongoing
The collision involved an AVE high-speed train and a train of the private operator Iryo, traveling on the line between Madrid and Seville. According to Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente, the actions of an employee at a control center are among the main circumstances that need to be clarified, but the final causes have not yet been established.
The disaster has reopened the debate about the state and maintenance of the railway network. In January, an accident near Adamas, in Andalusia, killed 46 people. The two collisions occurred on the high-speed line between Madrid and Seville within less than a year.
Considering stopping the Madrid-Barcelona line
The Spanish government is considering the possibility of temporarily stopping traffic on the high-speed line between Madrid and Barcelona, Minister Oscar Puente said, quoted by Bloomberg. The aim is to carry out larger-scale repairs to the infrastructure.
According to El País, repairs on the line are planned for 2027, and the discussed suspension could shorten their duration. However, no final decision has been made at the moment, neither on the suspension nor on a specific period.
The authorities are continuing to identify the victims and work with their relatives. Sanchez said that the government will seek not only the causes of the disaster, but also solutions that will restore confidence in rail transport.
Sources: theguardian.com, apnews.com, elpais.com