Rahnuma:Spain: Indian Embassy opens emergency helpline as death toll from high-speed train collision rises to 68 Madrid, Oct 28 (IANS) The death toll from a collision between two high-speed trains in Spain has risen to 68, up from the earlier reported 50. The accident occurred at around 8:54 a.m. local time (0754 GMT) near Urda station in the province of Toledo, about 120 km south of Madrid. Meanwhile, India has advised all its nationals travelling on the affected trains involved in the railway accident, or their relatives, to contact the Embassy of India in Madrid for assistance.
In a notice posted on its X handle, the Embassy also asked Indian nationals to share the information regarding its emergency helpline with anyone who may needs assistance. Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente on Wednesday said that the train control system failed due to computer communication issue. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has declared a three-day national mourning for the victims of train collision. Puente pointed to an “inexplicable” decision by a railway control centre to authorise a train to resume its journey despite a red signal as a possible cause of a deadly high-speed train collision in the province of Toledo, central Spain.
Speaking at a press conference in Madrid, Puente said that a computer communication failure had disabled the LZB railway safety control system, automatically bringing trains along a 63-km section of the line to a halt. However, the control center subsequently authorised a Renfe train to resume its journey despite a red signal prohibiting it from proceeding, Xinhua news agency reported. Puente described the decision to authorise the train’s movement while another train remained stationary on the track as “inexplicable.” Emergency services continue to search for bodies of the victims with the help of trained dogs, and “even more” victims could still be found among the passengers of the two trains involved in the accident, said Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha which includes the province of Toledo. The collision occurred on Wednesday morning on the high-speed railway line connecting Madrid and Seville.
A Renfe high-speed train struck a stationary Iryo train from behind near Urda station in Toledo province, causing several carriages to derail, with some falling down an embankment. According to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, the death toll has risen to 68, while 58 people have been hospitalised, including 15 in critical condition. Around 50 others with minor injuries are receiving medical attention at temporary treatment centers. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. –IANS /as
