In recent years, Spain witnessed one of the biggest and most devastating rail accidents. On Sunday, around 6:40 PM, the accident occurred in the Adamuz area of Cordoba, about 360 kilometres from Spain's capital, Madrid. A train travelling at high speed derailed from the railway line and collided with another train coming from the opposite direction. The incident killed 39 people. More than 200 people were injured. Not just in Spain, but people cannot remember when such a tragic rail accident last occurred in all of Europe.
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Expressing grief over the rail accident, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced three days of national mourning across the country.
Caused behind high-speed train derailment
Experts have claimed that the train track's fishplate was broken. As a result, the high-speed train derailed and collided with a train on the adjacent track. Experts claim the fishplate had been broken for a long time. The broken fishplate had created cracks in the railway line. Train operations over it further widened the cracks.
Experts have reported that the train's fishplate in that area had developed cracks. The fishplate had been neglected for a long time. Train operations over it had widened the cracks, resulting in this fatal accident.
Investigation and official response
Spain's Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents has not commented on this matter. Spain's transport department has also not commented on this issue. Álvaro Fernández Heredia, chairman of Spain's railway construction company Renfe, said this accident happened in a "strange way".
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It is known that on Monday morning, after the accident, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Transport Minister Óscar Puente visited the accident site. Three days of national mourning is being observed in Spain. Sánchez has cancelled all his previously scheduled trips and meetings.
