Spain: Rail Fracture Blamed for Train Derailment

The initial official report on the train accident in Spain attributes the derailment to a fracture in the rail line. According to the Railway Accident Investigation Commission (CIAF), the crack existed before the Iryo train passed.

The last carriages of the Frecciarossa 1000 derailed and partially entered the opposite track, colliding with an oncoming Alvia train. The accident resulted in 45 fatalities.

Previous train passages are being examined, as sensors recorded anomalies. Rail samples will be analyzed in a metallurgical laboratory. Notches were also found on the wheels of the Iryo 6189 train, consistent with impact on the rail head.

Technicians estimate that during the passage of the fifth carriage, the rail overturned, causing the sixth carriage to derail.