The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has assured that the causes of the train accident in Adamuz (Córdoba) are not yet known, although he has stated that it is “tremendously strange” since the accident occurred on a straight line, the train was relatively new and the track had been renovated at that point recently.
“It is truly strange. Really all the railway experts who have been here and who are in this center and those we have been able to consult are tremendously surprised by the accident because as I tell you it is very strange,” explained the minister in an appearance before the press at the Adif center in Madrid.
The minister explained that the track was renovated in May after an investment of 700 million euros, the place of the accident was a straight line and the Iryo train that derailed is “relatively new” because it is not four years old.
The accident occurred when an Iryo company train derailed and collided with another train that was circulating on the adjacent track, a Renfe Alvia, whose driver is one of those killed in the accident.
The Iryo, which had left Malaga at 6:40 p.m. bound for Puerta de Atocha with 317 people, derailed its last three cars at 7:45 p.m. and invaded the opposite track, on which at that same moment another Renfe convoy was circulating from Madrid to Huelva, which also derailed.
Puente has detailed that in the first affected car of Renfe’s Alvia there were 37 people traveling and in the second, another 16 passengers, out of a total of 200 people on the train. The Iryo collided with those first two cars and caused them to fall down a 4-meter embankment.
At around 1:00 a.m., the number of confirmed deaths rose to 21, although the minister stated that the number could increase, since there are 30 “somewhat seriously” injured, who have already been moved for treatment.
The head of Transport has considered that the investigation into what happened could take at least a month, at the same time that he has rejected any relationship between this Sunday’s accident and any punctuality problems that may arise.
Puente will travel to Adamuz first thing in the morning to try to find out the causes of the accident, as well as to convey his condolences “in situ” to the victims, injured and family members.
He has also assured that he has been in contact with the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, from “the first moment”, having already spoken “at least ten times”.
The Junta de Andalucía activates the complete team of forensic doctors in Córdoba
The Department of Justice, Local Administration and Public Function of the Government of Andalusia has activated the Territorial Forensic Medical Action Plan of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Córdoba planned for the catastrophe such as the one that occurred tonight with the derailment of two high-speed trains near Adamuz (Córdoba).
As the Andalusian Government has issued in a note, this means that the 16 forensic doctors, in addition to the entire administrative team and the rest of the staff, are already deployed and at the disposal of the judicial authority and the emergency teams. In addition, the troops in Seville and Granada are on alert in case their activation is necessary.
According to the Territorial Action Plan of the Imlcf of Córdoba, in the event of major catastrophes, among which the railway accident is contemplated, all the equipment that is already available will be fully activated. This involves a total of 32 personnel, 16 of whom are forensic doctors, four psychologists and two social workers, including the Lucena detachment.
Specifically, the Plan establishes the protocol to follow both in the removal of corpses, their identification and the subsequent performance of the autopsy, all in coordination with the emergency and police teams. In addition, it includes the functions of each of the personnel both in the work of acting in the area, lifting, transferring and receiving bodies and autopsies. The bodies of the deceased will be transferred to the Imlcf facilities located in the City of Justice.
Finally, the Ministry of Justice is also keeping the teams from the provinces of Seville and Granada on alert in case their intervention is necessary.
