By Islam El-Sakka
Spanish railway safety expert Francisco Badea Romero says he would avoid high-speed trains in Spain following a deadly collision that killed 69 people in Toledo province on October 28.
Fourth deadly crash this year
The crash involved an Iryo express train and a Renfe service; the Iryo train had been stationary due to a signal fault. The incident marks the fourth fatal train accident in Spain in 2026.
Previous crashes include a January derailment near Adamuz that killed 46, a Barcelona commuter train crash that left one dead, and a vehicle struck at a Toledo railroad crossing that killed the driver.
Minister cites human error
Transport Minister Óscar Puente suggested human error may have caused the latest collision, citing a computer failure that led controllers to restart trains without speed restrictions under "inexplicable circumstances."
Safety systems should have prevented collision
Badea Romero, a mechanical engineering professor at Nebrija University, said the automatic blockage system should have prevented such an error, indicating multiple system failures.
Calls for reform of infrastructure manager
He criticized Adif, the state-owned infrastructure manager, for lacking independent oversight and called for external review to ensure proper safety protocols.
Spanish authorities have not yet identified victims; over 100 people were injured. Investigations are ongoing.
