According to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, the death toll has risen to 68, while 58 people have been hospitalized, including 15 in critical condition.
MADRID, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente on Wednesday pointed to an "inexplicable" decision by a railway control center to authorize a train to resume its journey despite a red signal as a possible cause of a deadly high-speed train collision in the province of Toledo, central Spain.
Speaking at a press conference in Madrid, Puente said that a computer communication failure had disabled the LZB railway safety control system, automatically bringing trains along a 63-km section of the line to a halt.
However, the control center subsequently authorized a Renfe train to resume its journey despite a red signal prohibiting it from proceeding.
Puente described the decision to authorize the train's movement while another train remained stationary on the track as "inexplicable."
The collision occurred on Wednesday morning on the high-speed railway line connecting Madrid and Seville. A Renfe high-speed train struck a stationary Iryo train from behind near Urda station in Toledo province, causing several carriages to derail, with some falling down an embankment.
According to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, the death toll has risen to 68, while 58 people have been hospitalized, including 15 in critical condition. Around 50 others with minor injuries are receiving medical attention at temporary treatment centers. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.■
