Leaked Audio Reveals Control Centre Exchanges Before Deadly Train Crash in Spain

Leaked audio recordings published by Spanish media outlets, including El Pais and RTVE, have revealed conversations between train drivers and a control centre minutes before a deadly train crash near Urda, Spain, on Wednesday morning, which killed 69 people.

Officials are currently investigating the cause of the disaster, which occurred when a moving train from Madrid to Seville, operated by state-owned Renfe, collided with a stationary train operated by private carrier Iryo. According to reports, a reported computer failure in the automatic signalling system had initially halted trains on the affected stretch before instructions were given to resume movement.

Details of the Audio Exchanges

• Renfe Train: The leaked recordings indicate that a control centre operator instructed the driver of the Renfe train to continue the journey under the Lateral Signalling Block at normal speed.
• Iryo Train: Another recording features the driver of the stationary Iryo train informing the control centre that communication with the train-control system had been lost and that the train remained stationary in front of the entry signal at Urda.
• Subsequent Notification: A later recording suggests the controller had been notified that the Iryo train remained stationary as the Renfe train approached.

Official Responses and Mourning

Spain's transport minister, Óscar Puente, described the decision to instruct trains to move without speed restrictions as "inexplicable." Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that authorities would investigate every detail of the tragedy. On Thursday, Spain began three days of national mourning, and King Felipe VI along with Queen Letizia visited injured passengers in a hospital in Toledo.

Emergency crews, including more than 900 personnel deployed by the Spanish Civil Guard, worked at the site using drones and helicopters to assist with recovery efforts. Meanwhile, protests occurred outside the transport ministry in Madrid, and rail drivers proceeded with a planned strike called by the Spanish Union of Railway Drivers (Semaf) in defence of railway safety.