At least 69 people were killed and dozens more were injured in one of Spain's deadliest rail disasters in decades. Audio recordings published by Spanish media on Thursday revealed that one of the drivers had frantically warned a control center moments before the collision that he could not operate the train's safety system.
The crash occurred on Wednesday when a train operated by state-owned Renfe, which was traveling from Madrid to Seville with 397 passengers, collided with a stationary Iryo train carrying 147 passengers about 25 kilometers ahead of it.
In the released audio, the Renfe driver can be heard telling the control center, "The train won't allow me to control the system." This message indicates a catastrophic technical failure in the train's safety or aking mechanisms.
The incident has been marked as one of the country's worst rail disasters in recent history. According to the BBC, the Spanish government has declared three days of national mourning.
Rescue and search operations are ongoing as emergency services work at the scene, with officials concerned the death toll could rise further. Dozens of injured passengers have been taken to nearby hospitals, with some reported to be in critical condition.
Spain's Prime Minister has expressed his condolences to the victims' families and has ordered a full and immediate investigation to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
Source: BBC
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