A preliminary report of the investigation into Spain's deadly high-speed train collision estimates the trains collided at a speed of 160 to 200 kilometers per hour, and identifies a sequence of signaling failures, instructions and actions that may have led to the crash.
The collision occurred near Urda Station in Toledo province at around 08:54 local time on Wednesday, when an AVE train operated by state-owned railway company Renfe stuck the rear of a stationary train operated by private company Iryo.
According to the preliminary report released on Thursday by Spain's Independent Administrative Authority for Technical Investigation of Railway, Maritime and Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents (AITAT), the eighth carriage of the Renfe train became lodged in the first carriage of the Iryo train. Both carriages overturned and came to rest at the foot of the embankment.
The report described extensive damage to the remaining carriages. All but two of the Iryo train's carriages derailed, while deformed track debris pierced the third carriage of the Renfe train.
Investigators said the precise impact speed would not be known until data from the trains' on-board recorders had been examined. A signaling system failure that began at 08:31 worsened the situation, according to the report.
With the signal system no longer intervening, the train ran without its oversight, and the control center and drivers had to communicate by telephone over the issue. Without necessary mitigation measures activated, the sequence of failures, instructions and actions led inevitably to the collision, the report said. The investigation remains at an early stage, and next steps will include analyzing the causes and circumstances that led to the crash, the investigation body said.
It will examine all factors, including environmental and procedural ones, and investigators said it was still too early to determine the exact cause.
The collision has killed 69 people, while dozens have remained hospitalized in critical condition, Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of Spain's Castilla-La Mancha region, said Thursday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday announced three days of national mourning for the tragedy.
Spain train crash impact speed up to 200 kph: preliminary report
Spain train crash impact speed up to 200 kph: preliminary report
