Audio reveals exchanges before deadly Spain train crash
Leaked audio shows control centre cleared a Renfe train to proceed despite an Iryo train stalling 25km ahead, killing at least 69 people.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Leaked audio reveals control center instructions to a Renfe train before a fatal crash
- At least 69 people were killed and dozens injured in the collision in Spain
- Spain begins three days of national mourning as protests erupt outside transport ministry
Audio recordings published in Spanish media have revealed conversations between train drivers and a railway control centre in the minutes leading up to a deadly train crash that killed at least 69 people and injured dozens. Officials are currently investigating the cause of the disaster, which occurred when a train travelling from Madrid to Seville barrelled into a stationary train on Wednesday morning.
Three audio recordings between the control centre in Madrid and two train drivers appear to show that one high-speed train was given clearance to move even though another some 25 kilometres up ahead had stalled. The release of these recordings coincides with Spain beginning three days of national mourning for one of the worst rail disasters in Europe's modern history.
One train, operated by state-owned Renfe, carried 397 passengers, while the train ahead of it on the same line was run by private operator Iryo with 147 passengers on board. A computer failure affecting the automatic signalling system had forced all trains to halt on the affected stretch before recordings were published by outlets including El Pais and RTVE.
In one recording, a control centre operator speaks to the driver of the Renfe train, which was travelling behind the other train and experiencing technical difficulties. The control operator tells the driver to continue the journey and proceed under the Lateral Signalling Block at normal speed, which serves as a back-up system when automatic signalling fails.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The driver of the Iryo train states in another recording that communication with the train-control system had been lost and the vehicle was immobilized. This indicates the controller had been notified that the Iryo train remained stationary as the Renfe train approached, with Iryo reporting its train was struck from behind.
"The leaks are despicable."
Alberto Ibáñez, Member of Congress for the Sumar platform
The leaking of the audio has drawn criticism from Spanish politicians, with Sumar congress member Alberto Ibáñez describing the leaks on X as despicable. Irene Montero, the prime ministerial candidate for Podemos, stated that responsibility should not fall on a single worker, noting that experts have warned against railway liberalisation for years. Most politicians have suspended campaigns ahead of a snap election on November 29.
This disaster highlights the critical vulnerabilities that emerge when automated railway systems fail and operations rely on manual backups. Managing mixed fleets of state and private operators under manual block signalling significantly increases coordination challenges and the potential for human error in high-speed rail networks.
Overnight, around 1,500 people gathered outside the Spanish Transport Ministry in Madrid, calling for the resignations of Sánchez and Puente. Police deployed tear gas after protesters hurled bottles and flares, while rail drivers proceeded with a planned strike on Thursday organised by Semaf in defense of railway safety.
At the crash site, emergency crews worked through the night under powerful floodlights to cut open metal carriages. Spain's interior ministry deployed hundreds of personnel with drones and helicopters, while the Civil Guard set up bureaus in Madrid, Toledo, Seville, and Córdoba to collect DNA samples and identify victims.
Source: BBC World
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