Aysu Bicer
29 October 2026•Update: 29 October 2026
Spain’s high-speed rail network is under scrutiny following a deadly collision that killed at least 68 people and injured dozens Wednesday.
Leaked audio recordings obtained by broadcaster RTVE indicate that controllers at state rail manager Adif instructed the driver of the moving train to disconnect the malfunctioning LZB safety system and resume the journey at speeds of up to 200 km/h.
"Disconnect and reconnect the LZB and resume journey under the protection of the BSL at normal speed," controllers told the driver at 8.36 am local time.
Minutes later, the driver of the Iryo train reported being unable to proceed: "I've had a loss of transmission and I'm stopped at the Urda entrance signal."
While the government pointed to human error in allowing a train onto an occupied track, RTVE, citing sources, disputed the timeline, reporting that the Iryo train had not received clearance to move before the collision.
The collision between the moving train and the stationary train occurred in central Spain, around 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Madrid, between Mora and Orgaz.
The train traveling from Madrid to Seville struck the stationary Iryo train, sending several carriages plunging down an embankment.
The Iryo train, carrying 147 passengers, had halted on the tracks due to a computer system failure.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente cited system failure and human error as possible factors in the crash.
Survivors reported harrowing scenes of being thrown through the air, trapped in wreckage and breaking windows to escape.
The tragedy highlights vulnerabilities on the 1992 Madrid-Seville route, which still relies on the older LZB system instead of modern European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) safety technology.
It is the second fatal crash on the line in nine months, following a January accident near Cordoba that killed 46 people.
