Train crash in Spain kills at least 68 on Madrid-Seville line
Two trains collided on the Toledo stretch of the Madrid-Seville line, with the main safety system offline and the line closed until year-end.
KEY POINTS
- At least 68 people killed and over 100 injured in a train collision in Toledo province
- Second serious accident on the same Madrid-Seville line within nine months
- Main safety system LZB was offline; trains ran on backup ASFA system
- Controller gave incorrect movement orders, causing both trains to enter the same track
- Line closed until the end of the year
At least 68 people were killed and more than 100 injured when two trains collided on the Madrid-Seville line in Spain's Toledo province. The accident is the second serious incident on the same stretch within nine months. The line has been closed until the end of the year.
Investigators attribute the crash to human error at the control center. The controller mishandled train movements, ordering the following train to maintain normal speed instead of stopping behind the preceding train. The controller also issued start commands to both trains on the same track.
“Human error is the simplest explanation.”
The line's main safety system, LZB, was out of service at the time. Trains were running on the backup ASFA system instead. LZB normally feeds route information to the control center and drivers and can brake a train automatically in an emergency.
An expert warned that human error is only the simplest explanation and points to a deeper systemic problem. He said Spain's rail safety system is not as reliable as newer European systems recently adopted by Greece.
Families are searching for missing relatives in hospitals and gymnasiums. Among the passengers were a 70-year-old woman traveling to her daughter's wedding in Seville, a 27-year-old Civil Guard officer returning to Utrera, and a 22-year-old train maintenance engineer from Malaga.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the final death toll as investigations continue. The line remains closed pending further safety reviews.
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