Barney Jopson in Madrid Published October 29 2026. Crash investigators in Spain are probing how a high-speed train was allowed to smash into the back of a stationary train, killing 69 people. As Spain began three days of official mourning, investigators examined the decision by Transport Minister Óscar Puente to allow a train to restart despite another being immobile 25km south.
The moving train reached speeds of 200km per hour before impact. Experts criticised the minister for focusing on human error, arguing under-investment in safety systems during Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s eight years in power was a key factor. The accident occurred less than 10 months after 46 died near Adamuz on the same Madrid to Andalusia line.
Engineering professor Ricardo Díaz Martín warned the government cannot blame just one man, stating the safety systems themselves have deteriorated, calling it "far worse than the Adamuz accident." Spanish train drivers staged a pre-planned strike to air grievances over railway safety, staff shortages, salaries and rolling stock quality. The tragedy has roiled the campaign for the general election on November 29, with polls suggesting Sánchez is heading for defeat. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, head of the conservative opposition People’s Party, called Puente’s blame on one controller "unbecoming." The far-right Vox party filed a lawsuit against Puente for alleged manslaughter.
Two leftwing parties, Podemos and Catalan Republic Left, demanded he appear before parliament. The lead-up began with a localised outage in the LZB safety system installed in 1992, prompting a switchover to manual control. Operators in a Madrid control room allowed a Renfe train to restart at normal speed despite the system being down, colliding with an Iryo train halted at a station in Urda.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing