Spain identifies 66 victims of deadly high-speed train crash
Spanish authorities have identified 66 of the 69 people killed in last week's high-speed train collision near Urda, in central Spain, as the investigation into the disaster continues.
Families have been notified in 60 cases, involving 36 men and 24 women, according to the regional high court and the centre coordinating the identification process.
Of the 66 identified victims, 54 were Spanish nationals and four were US citizens. The remaining eight came from Argentina, Canada, Czechia, France, Japan, Mexico, Portugal and Tunisia.
Three missing-person reports remain open, involving two Australian nationals and one Japanese citizen.
Former minister and prominent figures among the dead
Among those killed were Fátima Báñez, who served as Spain's labour minister under former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and award-winning composer Marisa Manchado, who was travelling to Seville for a university event.
The victims also included Antonio Acedo, the 36-year-old driver of the Renfe train, and his assistant, Daniel Cabanas.
Julieta Gallego, a 24-year-old long jumper, was also among those killed, broadcaster Cadena SER reported.
More than 60 specialists have been working in Toledo since Wednesday, conducting autopsies and identifying victims through fingerprint and DNA analysis.
Investigators examine train protection system
The collision occurred on Wednesday when a Renfe high-speed train struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train near Urda, in Toledo province.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a failure in the automatic train protection system had initially brought the trains to a halt before a controller authorized the Renfe train to resume normal speed.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision, including the role of the railway safety systems and the decisions made before the crash.
The disaster comes after another accident in January on the same high-speed route connecting Madrid and Seville, which killed 46 people.
Government pledges full investigation
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said independent investigators and the courts would receive the necessary resources to establish the causes of the latest disaster.
Speaking at the World in Progress forum on Monday, Sánchez stressed that restoring public confidence in the country's high-speed rail network was a priority.
"Our main obligation as the government of Spain is to restore the public’s shattered confidence in high-speed rail as soon as possible, whatever it takes," he said.
Authorities are continuing the identification process as investigators work to determine the full circumstances and possible causes of the collision.
Source:AA
