68 Dead in Spain Rail Crash, and the Toll Has More Than Doubled
Another 58 people are in hospital, including 15 in very serious condition. Spain's transport minister said the Renfe train was authorised to restart despite a red signal.
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by Sami Haddad
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At least 68 people have died in the high-speed train collision near Urda in central Spain, regional authorities said, as rescuers searched the wreckage and warned the toll could rise.
Another 58 people were receiving treatment in hospital, including 15 in very serious condition, according to the Castilla-La Mancha regional government. The collision happened shortly before 9 a.m. on October 28, when a Renfe train struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train on the Madrid-Seville line in Toledo province.
The death toll has more than doubled since The Daily Inference's earlier account, which reported at least 30 deaths and emergency crews deploying helicopters and mobile intensive-care units. The two trains carried 544 passengers.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a computer communications failure had brought trains to an automatic stop before Adif, Spain's rail infrastructure manager, authorised the Renfe service to resume at normal speed despite a red signal. His explanation remains an account under investigation, not a final finding of cause or responsibility.
Puente described the control centre's decision as "inexplicable." He said the train should not have been instructed to resume and, if it was allowed to move, should have been ordered to travel at reduced speed.
