At least 68 people were killed and 80 injured when two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Spain’s central province of Toledo on Oct. 28, authorities said.
Fifteen of the injured were in serious condition as rescue crews continued searching damaged carriages, Reuters reported.
A high-speed train operated by state-owned Renfe struck a stationary train belonging to private operator Iryo on the Madrid-Andalusia line. The Renfe service was carrying 397 passengers and the Iryo train had 147 passengers. Several carriages derailed after the impact.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a computer communications failure had triggered a red signal and automatically halted traffic. The Renfe train was later mistakenly authorized to continue even though the Iryo train remained stopped on the track ahead.
Investigators are examining the train’s speed and the sequence of decisions before the collision. Puente said responsibility had not been assigned and that an independent commission would determine the cause.
Rail traffic between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia was suspended. Spain declared three days of national mourning from Oct. 29 through Oct. 31.
Source: Vesti Baku