The deadly incident occurred after a computer malfunction disabled the LZB safety system across 69 kilometers of track near Urda, bringing multiple trains to an automatic halt. Control operators allegedly bypassed safety protocols by clearing a Renfe AVE train to run at regular speeds rather than enforcing the mandatory 40 km/h restricted limit. Despite receiving a warning call from the driver of a halted Iryo train, staff failed to alert the oncoming driver over a 25-kilometer stretch. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has promised a thorough inquiry into network procedures as the Civil Guard investigates.
Key points
Operators at Madrid's Atocha station failed to notify the trailing driver despite communi…: Operators at Madrid's Atocha station failed to notify the trailing driver despite communication from the halted train.
Safety regulations require a restricted sight speed of 40 km/h whenever the LZB automated…: Safety regulations require a restricted sight speed of 40 km/h whenever the LZB automated system malfunctions.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged a full investigation following the country's second…: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged a full investigation following the country's second fatal rail collision this year.
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A technical glitch followed by a series of alleged human errors at a railway control centre may have led to a devastating collision between two high-speed trains in Spain, killing 68.
According to Spanish news outlet El Diario, the incident began around 8.30am on Wednesday when a computer malfunction knocked out the LZB train control system on a 69-km stretch of track. The failure automatically stopped several trains, including an Iryo service and a state-owned Renfe AVE train travelling behind it.
However, instead of requiring the AVE train to proceed at a restricted speed, the control centre at Madrid's Atocha station allegedly instructed its driver to resume the journey at normal speed. The train was travelling at high speed when it struck the stationary Iryo train from behind at around 8.53am near Urda, in central Spain.
El Diario, citing audio recordings of conversations between train drivers and the control centre, reported that the operator appeared to have authorised the resumption of services without applying the necessary safety precautions. The recordings raised questions about whether the operator had misread the relevant…
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