The death toll from the collision of two high-speed trains in Spain near the town of Orda on the railway line connecting the capital Madrid with the south of the country has risen to 69, with 110 injured.
Spanish media quoted the regional government on Thursday saying that rescue teams deployed dogs and thermal drones at the accident site, a few kilometers from Orda, in search of more victims. Emergency personnel searched the rubble for more victims overnight on the main line connecting Madrid to the southern city of Seville, using cranes to remove twisted iron parts.
Mourning and Investigation Measures
Spain announced a three-day national mourning today, while political parties suspended their election campaigns and flags on government buildings were lowered. Official ceremonies and public events were canceled or scaled back in honor of the victims. The Transport Minister stated that an error and inexplicable conditions led to the tragedy.
Prime Minister's Pledges
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government faces general elections on November 29, pledged to investigate the causes of the accident during his visit to the collision site. He affirmed working day and night to support the victims' families, verify every detail related to this tragedy, and strengthen safety measures to ensure it does not happen again.
Accident Details and Strike
The accident occurred Wednesday morning in the Castilla-La Mancha region, when a train belonging to the Spanish national railway company "Renfe" collided with the rear of a stopped train belonging to the private Spanish company "Eiro," with 544 passengers on board. Train drivers organized a strike on Thursday to defend the safety of railway lines, noting that the strike was scheduled before Wednesday's accident.
Last January, 45 people died in southern Spain when a train derailed and collided with another train coming from the opposite direction.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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