The preliminary investigation has also pointed to a failure of the LZB signalling system
The collision occurred at 8.53am on Wednesday at the entrance to Urda station in Toledo province. According to the investigation-opening notice published by Spain’s Independent Administrative Authority for the Technical Investigation of Railway, Maritime and Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents (AITAT), the eight-carriage Iryo train, travelling from Madrid to Seville with 147 passengers and five crew members, was stationary near a signal when it was struck from behind by an eight-carriage Renfe AVE train carrying 379 passengers and seven crew members. The preliminary investigation has also pointed to a failure of the LZB signalling system, which began at around 8.31am and forced trains to operate under the alternative Lateral Signalling Block (BSL) system.
They said the investigation would examine the LZB malfunction, along with environmental, organisational and procedural factors that may have contributed to the accident. However, investigators cautioned against drawing conclusions about the cause of the disaster, saying all possible explanations remained open at this stage.