MADRID, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Just nine months after a deadly railway accident near Adamuz in southern Spain, another high-speed train collision occurred on Wednesday on the same Madrid-Seville railway line, raising renewed concerns about the safety of Spain's high-speed rail network.
The collision between two high-speed trains near Urda station in Toledo province, central Spain, has killed at least 68 people and injured 180 more.
WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY?
At around 8:54 a.m. local time (0754 GMT) on Wednesday, a Renfe-operated AVE train carrying 378 passengers struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train with 147 passengers aboard near Urda station. Both trains were heading from Madrid to Seville, according to Spain's Ministry of Transport and railway operator Renfe.
At least 68 were killed, according to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha. More than 180 people were reported injured, with some in critical condition.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the LZB train safety system had failed at around 8:30 a.m. due to a communication problem involving three computers, affecting a 63-km section of the railway and automatically bringing several trains to a halt.
According to Puente, Adif's control center subsequently authorized the AVE train to resume normal operations at around 8:36 a.m., despite a red signal and the presence of the stationary Iryo train ahead. The AVE traveled approximately 25 km before crashing into the Iryo at around 8:53 a.m..
Under Spanish railway safety regulations, trains must remain stopped when the LZB system fails and the track ahead is occupied. Any authorized movement must follow restricted operating procedures requiring drivers to maintain a speed that allows them to stop upon detecting an obstacle ahead.
Puente described the control center's decision as "inexplicable," while railway engineering expert Ramiro Aurin told Spanish news agency EFE that human error was the most likely explanation for the collision. However, the exact circumstances and responsibilities remain under investigation.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY
The tragedy prompted the Spanish government and several major political parties to suspend their scheduled activities on Wednesday.
During a visit to the accident site in Urda, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stressed that rescuing victims and supporting their families remained the government's top priority. He pledged a thorough investigation into the collision, saying that any negligence or failures in railway safety systems would be addressed. "We will get to the bottom of this," Sanchez said.
The government also declared three days of national mourning from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31, while the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha activated an emergency response plan and mobilized additional rescue and medical resources. Several hospitals suspended scheduled activities to accommodate the injured, while psychological support teams were deployed to assist victims and their families.
The accident also triggered calls for accountability. Opposition People's Party (PP) leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said Spain had the right to know what was happening with its railway infrastructure. He called for immediate government and judicial investigations, as well as a comprehensive and independent review of the country's entire railway network.
In Madrid, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday evening, demanding the resignation of the Transport Minister Puente.
Railway unions also called for stronger safety safeguards. The Independent Trade Union and Civil Servants' Central (CSIF) demanded an urgent explanation of the accident, accountability for those responsible, and greater investment in railway infrastructure and maintenance.
The Spanish train drivers' union Semaf said it would proceed with a strike scheduled for Thursday, calling for stronger railway safety guarantees and structural reforms. The union also said it was considering further action following the latest tragedy.
GROWING CONCERNS OVER RAIL SAFETY
The collision marks Spain's second major fatal high-speed rail accident this year, with a crash near Adamuz, in the southern province of Cordoba, claiming 46 lives on Jan. 18.
While investigations into both accidents remain ongoing, experts have pointed to different possible causes. Jordi Vinolas Prat, a mechanical engineering professor at Francisco de Vitoria University, told Europa Press that the Adamuz disaster appeared to be linked to railway infrastructure problems, while the latest collision raised questions about signaling systems.
Jose Trigueros, president of the Association of Civil Engineers, told Spanish national broadcaster RTVE that the latest collision was particularly concerning because high-speed rail safety systems were designed to prevent two trains from occupying the same section of track. He questioned the reliability of automated safety protections and the extent to which railway operations depended on human intervention.
Concerns over railway safety had already been raised following the Adamuz disaster. Rafael Escudero, secretary-general of the Sindicato Ferroviario railway union, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero that the union had called for an audit of renovation works on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line after the January accident. He urged a review of how the more than 700 million euros (770 million U.S. dollars) allocated to upgrading the line had been spent, while stressing that the cause of Wednesday's collision remained under investigation.
The latest tragedy has also unsettled some railway passengers. Daniel, a frequent traveler between Malaga and Madrid, told Spanish radio station Cadena SER that the accident had left him feeling angry and insecure, saying recent railway incidents had undermined his confidence in train travel.
Civil engineer Martin Perea, a transport specialist and master's program director at Universidad Europea, also warned of serious damage to the reputation of Spain's railway system, calling for a thorough investigation, support for victims and their families, and a broader reassessment of the country's high-speed rail operations.
