Spain train crash: US, Japan and Canada citizens among dead, authorities say
Authorities confirmed that 69 people died in last week's high-speed train collision in Spain, including citizens from 10 different countries.
Four US citizens and one each from Canada, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Tunisia and the Czech Republic were among the 69 killed in last week's high-speed train collision in Spain, authorities said. The disaster occurred when a Renfe train ploughed into the back of a stationary Iryo train outside the central village of Urda, around 130km south of Madrid.
Victim Identification
Victims' relatives have endured an agonizing wait as forensics teams identify the dead, sometimes from individual body parts. A legal body made up of police and forensics experts announced the 10 latest confirmed foreign victims on Sunday.
As the contacted families have expressed their wish to travel to Spain to carry out in-person identification, we are awaiting their arrival in the country.
Safety Concerns
The accident was Spain's second high-speed train collision this year, following a crash in Andalusia in January that killed 46 people. The latest disaster occurred when an automatic safety system failure halted trains on a 63km stretch, but a control centre authorized the Renfe service to resume while the other train was still stationary.
Political Impact
The tragedy comes one month before a November 29 general election where Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez will seek to overcome unfavorable polls and extend his eight-year premiership. All but three victims have now been identified, with three reports for missing Australians and one Japanese citizen still active.
Related
