At least two more bodies have been found in the wreckage of a high-speed train involved in a devastating collision last weekend, bringing the death toll to 45. The Spanish authorities are searching for answers as to what led to the accident that claimed so many lives on Sunday.
The tragedy occurred when one train collided with another service operated by a private firm, Iryo, which had derailed and crossed onto its track in the southern region of Andalusia. The Renfe-operated train was traveling at high speed before it smashed into the derailed train, resulting in catastrophic consequences for those on board.
Rescue efforts have so far been unsuccessful in finding two individuals believed to be among the missing passengers. Two bodies were discovered in two carriages that were severely damaged during the accident, according to Fernando Dominguez, head of the Civil Guard's investigative unit.
Among those killed were 41 Spanish nationals and three foreign women from Morocco, Russia, and Germany. The victims' families have been left to grapple with the devastating news, which has sparked widespread grief across Spain.
The accident has raised serious doubts about the safety of train travel in Spain, a country known for its extensive high-speed rail network. The nation is still reeling from another deadly rail disaster just days ago, when two trains collided near Barcelona in the northeastern region of Catalonia, resulting in 12 fatalities and over 100 injuries.
The government has called for three days of national mourning to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, as authorities launch an investigation into the cause of both accidents. Transport Minister Oscar Puente has vowed to work with unions to ensure that safety checks are carried out on Spain's rail network, but critics have already begun questioning his administration's competence in addressing the issue.
In a move aimed at reassuring the public, train driver strike has been called off for now due to limited availability of personnel. However, a nationwide strike is planned by Semaf union members starting from 9th February as they claim repeated safety failures on Spain's rail system.
The tragedy occurred when one train collided with another service operated by a private firm, Iryo, which had derailed and crossed onto its track in the southern region of Andalusia. The Renfe-operated train was traveling at high speed before it smashed into the derailed train, resulting in catastrophic consequences for those on board.
Rescue efforts have so far been unsuccessful in finding two individuals believed to be among the missing passengers. Two bodies were discovered in two carriages that were severely damaged during the accident, according to Fernando Dominguez, head of the Civil Guard's investigative unit.
Among those killed were 41 Spanish nationals and three foreign women from Morocco, Russia, and Germany. The victims' families have been left to grapple with the devastating news, which has sparked widespread grief across Spain.
The accident has raised serious doubts about the safety of train travel in Spain, a country known for its extensive high-speed rail network. The nation is still reeling from another deadly rail disaster just days ago, when two trains collided near Barcelona in the northeastern region of Catalonia, resulting in 12 fatalities and over 100 injuries.
The government has called for three days of national mourning to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, as authorities launch an investigation into the cause of both accidents. Transport Minister Oscar Puente has vowed to work with unions to ensure that safety checks are carried out on Spain's rail network, but critics have already begun questioning his administration's competence in addressing the issue.
In a move aimed at reassuring the public, train driver strike has been called off for now due to limited availability of personnel. However, a nationwide strike is planned by Semaf union members starting from 9th February as they claim repeated safety failures on Spain's rail system.
I mean, can't these train drivers even follow basic rules? Like, who allows one train to cross onto another's track in the first place? It's so reckless! 
And don't even get me started on the fact that there were no safety checks done before the Renfe-operated train was sent out. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the private firm, Iryo, cutting corners... they probably did too 
. The government needs to take responsibility for this and make some real changes, like investing in better infrastructure and stricter regulations... it's just basic common sense! 
. Losing 45 lives is just horrific and I can only imagine the pain and grief that the families of the victims must be going through #RIP
. It's like, how could something like this happen on our tracks? 
The investigation needs to get to the bottom of it ASAP so we can find out what went wrong 
. It's also worrying that there have been another deadly rail disaster just days ago in Barcelona 
. Safety checks need to be tightened up, pronto! 
I'm thinking that Transport Minister Oscar Puente should be looking over his shoulder a bit more 
. And what about the union members calling for a nationwide strike? 
That's just gonna cause more chaos and put people's lives at risk 
. Let's all just take a deep breath, be careful, and hope that these changes happen soon 
this is just devastating... 45 lives lost in one weekend alone? it's hard to imagine the pain and grief these families must be going through 
. maybe now is the time for Spain to take a hard look at its rail network and make some real changes 
. and i do hope those who lost their lives are remembered and honored during this national mourning period 
.
... or not. I think the real question is how did this happen in the first place? One train derailed and another just happened to be there at that exact spot. What are the chances?! 
I'm not buying the "we're working on it" excuse until someone's held accountable 
anywayz, hope the union members dont strike again cuz thats just gonna cause more stress on the ppl already dealin w/ grief 
it's like, can't we learn from these tragedies? 
We need to make sure that our trains are safe to travel on 
The last thing the Spanish authorities and government should be doing is debating if they're competent 
or not. They already have a lot on their plates dealing with grief & loss 
The fact that the train driver strike has been called off is a good step forward 
We need concrete actions taken to prevent such accidents from happening again 
and I can only imagine how they're feeling right now 
I'm still trying to process this tragic news... 45 lives lost in one horrific accident 
I can only imagine how scary it must be for everyone who travels by train, worrying about accidents and what could happen 
The fact that two bodies were found means the rescue team was still able to recover some people, right? And they're working super hard to find the missing ones 
. Also, Transport Minister Oscar Puente has pledged to fix safety checks, so fingers crossed that trains will become even safer in the future 
. And, let's not forget about all the amazing work done by paramedics and emergency responders who are doing an amazing job 
... but at the same time, the gov needs to take action and not just give empty promises, you know? 
.
