Train collision near Toledo kills 68 after signaling system failure
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A collision between an AVE and a stationary Iryo train in Urda has left 68 dead and 107 injured. Emergency services are still working through the wreckage, and the government has not ruled out finding further victims. It is the second major rail tragedy during the current transport minister's tenure.
Investigators are focusing on three 1990s-era computers that reportedly caused the signaling system to fail. Leaked audio from the control room suggests operators were confused and failed to warn the oncoming AVE train that the track was occupied; the driver of the stopped train had reportedly radioed in to say she could not restart her engine minutes before the impact.
The disaster has halted campaigning for the November 29th elections as the government describes the control orders that led to the crash as inexplicable. Former employment minister Fátima Báñez was traveling on one of the trains involved. The transport minister, Óscar Puente, is now facing questions about why the network's safety systems were being managed by outdated hardware.