Spain train crash death toll rises to 68 as Sanchez vows probe

Investigation promised

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday vowed a comprehensive investigation into a deadly high-speed train collision in Toledo that claimed at least 68 lives, declaring three days of national mourning as authorities worked to determine the cause of the country’s second major rail disaster this year. Speaking at the crash site in Urda, Sanchez said authorities would uncover the cause of the accident and take action if wrongdoing was found.

“We will get to the bottom of this. If there has been negligence, it will be known,” he said, according to Spanish news agency EFE. Sanchez announced the mourning period would run from Oct. 29 to 31 and stated it was “unacceptable for a country like Spain” to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in twelve months. He referenced a January crash in Adamuz, Cordoba, while noting preliminary indications suggested different causes for the two incidents.

Opposition demands scrutiny

Opposition People’s Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo demanded “immediate” government and judicial investigations, stating they must proceed “with all available resources and without interference.” He said Spain “has the right to know what is happening with its infrastructure,” calling for a comprehensive review of the railway network.

Feijoo declined to assign political responsibility for the disaster, noting it was not the appropriate time to do so. A minute of silence will be held at 8 pm local time on Wednesday at town halls nationwide to honor the victims, according to the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces.