Spain train collision kills at least 69 as probe examines safety

A collision between two high-speed trains in central Spain killed at least 69 people, while investigators examined how rail traffic was managed after a failure disabled an automatic safety system. Regional president Emiliano García-Page said the toll rose to 69 after another body was recovered overnight. The collision occurred on Wednesday, October 28, near Urda, on the Madrid-Seville line. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a computer failure disabled the LZB train-protection system and automatically stopped several trains. In his preliminary account, the central control centre then authorized a Renfe train to resume normal operations while an Iryo train ahead remained stopped. The Renfe train struck the rear of the Iryo train. Recordings of radio communications published in Spanish media appear to show the Iryo driver telling controllers that her train could not restart. The recordings also appear to show that the Renfe train had been cleared to move. NBC News said it could not independently verify the audio’s authenticity. The recordings have not established the complete sequence of instructions, and investigators have not determined the cause of the collision or the...