Images from the high speed train crash in Spain.
Authorities in Spain have identified 66 of the 69 people killed in last week’s high-speed train collision, including four Americans and one Canadian. Spanish nationals made up the majority of the victims, with 54 confirmed dead. The latest collision came just nine months after another train crash farther south on the same Madrid-Seville line killed 46 people.
The crash occurred last Wednesday in the province of Toledo when a high-speed train slammed into another train that had stopped on the tracks. The two incidents have shaken public confidence in Spain’s rail network, which has long been recognised for its high speeds and safety record. The incident has raised questions over railway safety and the investment made by successive governments in Spain’s infrastructure. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
Authorities said three bodies were yet to be identified. Among the other foreign nationals identified were citizens of France, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, Tunisia and the Czech Republic, with one victim from each country. Three people also remain missing — two Australians and one Japanese national.
The network carried around 45 million passengers last year, including millions of tourists. The crash occurred a month before the November 29 general election, in which Sanchez is seeking to extend his eight-year tenure as prime minister. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised a full investigation and improvements to restore trust in the railway system.