The Spanish Civil Guard releases aerial footage of the train disaster that left 68 people dead: watch the video
At least 68 people lost their lives in a train accident that occurred Wednesday morning near the Urda station in the province of Toledo, as confirmed by the president of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page. In addition, 58 people were injured and hospitalized, 15 of whom are in very serious condition.
Upon arriving at the scene of the accident, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, assured that the investigation “will be thoroughly conducted, and if there was any negligence, it will come to light,” emphasizing that “it is unacceptable for a country like Spain” to suffer two serious high-speed train accidents in less than a year. The Civil Guard released aerial images of the train disaster.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente called the accident “absolutely unbelievable.” According to reports, there was a malfunction in the LZB system, one of the railway line’s safety devices. The minister—according to El País—added that, even though the problem had not been resolved, the order to resume train service was given in an “inexplicable” manner, a choice he called “a wrong decision.”
The Civil Guard and the Commission of Inquiry into Railway Accidents are questioning the control center operator who was managing traffic on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line at the time of the collision.
