An initial Adif report found failures in rail signals, communications, how the control centre operated, and electrical systems along the track before a Renfe train hit a stationary Iryo train near Urda on October 28, killing 69 people.
The report says the LZB safety system, which tracks trains and can apply the brakes, failed across a wide area. The failure affected part of the Madrid–Seville line and several trains. Investigators are also examining communication problems and electrical disruptions.
Because the automatic system was not working, controllers at Adif’s Madrid control centre directed train movements. At about 8:36 a.m., a Renfe driver was reportedly cleared to continue at normal speed, although the Iryo train was still stopped ahead. The collision happened about 17 minutes later.
The report describes a series of failures. Investigators have not reached a final conclusion about what caused the crash. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the LZB system had stopped working 170 times in the past year.
He described that frequency as around the European Union average. Railway unions warned against blaming only one controller. They instead pointed to concerns about equipment, staffing and working conditions.