Spain investigates control centre order after high-speed train crash kills at least 69
Spain has begun three days of national mourning after a high-speed train struck the rear of a stationary train near Urda, south of Madrid, killing at least 69 people and injuring dozens.
Both trains were travelling from Madrid toward Seville on Wednesday morning. The moving train, operated by state-owned Renfe and carrying 397 people, hit an Iryo train carrying 147 people after it stalled on the same track. Several carriages were knocked off the rails, and emergency crews continued searching the wreckage for victims.
Investigators are examining the role of railway traffic controllers after an apparent failure of the automatic signalling system halted trains on the affected section. Audio recordings published by Spanish media appear to show that the Madrid control centre knew the Iryo train remained stationary about 25km ahead but cleared the Renfe train to proceed at normal speed under a …