Spain has requested technical assistance from Brussels for the investigation into the train crash near Urda, in the province of Toledo, in which 69 people were killed on October 28. The request was made by AITAT, Spain’s independent technical investigation authority for railway, maritime and aviation accidents, to the European Union Agency for Railways.
European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas said that the agency would provide the necessary technical support. He stressed that the Spanish authorities retained full control over the investigation. “The independent investigation will establish the facts,” Tzitzikostas said, adding that it was too early to draw conclusions about the causes of the crash.
What Is Being Investigated
On October 28, an AVE train operated by Spain’s state-owned company “Renfe” crashed into a stationary train belonging to private operator “Iryo” on the line between Madrid and Andalusia. Before the collision, the LZB safety system, which monitors train movements and can automatically apply the brakes, had failed.
Spanish authorities are examining the actions of the dispatch centers, communications with the drivers and the technical condition of the systems. The definitive cause of the crash has not yet been established. AITAT will work with European experts, but the decisions and conclusions will remain within the remit of the Spanish investigation.
The incident is the second serious railway collision in Spain this year. Forty-six people were killed in the crash near Adamuz in January. Spanish authorities also used technical assistance from European experts in the investigation of that incident.
Measures and Resignation
On November 3, the Spanish government approved a €30 million package for direct aid and advance compensation for the victims and their families. The cabinet also announced an emergency plan to strengthen safety on the high-speed rail network.
The plan provides for improvements to dispatch centers, stricter protocols in the event of automatic system failures and the accelerated implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System, ERTMS. It also stipulates that decisions made in control centers be checked by a second employee when automatic blocking is not working.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned six days after the crash. “A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two incidents of such gravity in less than a year,” he told lawmakers.
Sources: elpais.com, apnews.com