At least 68 people died when a Spanish high-speed express slammed into a stationary train yesterday, with rescuers scouring mangled carriages for more bodies after Spain’s second fatal rail crash this year and Europe’s deadliest since 2013.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said ‘all of Spain’ was in mourning after the collision, which the transport minister said happened after a Renfe service was authorised to proceed despite an active red signal due to a stationary train ahead.
Oscar Puente told reporters in Madrid that the red signal was issued due to a computer communications failure, which automatically stopped traffic, but an erroneous decision was then taken to restart the Renfe train.
Sanchez said in a televised address from near the site south of Madrid that the ‘terrible tragedy’ would be investigated and vowed to address any failures that came to light, adding that the causes of the two crashes appeared to be unrelated.
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