Transport minister faces resignation calls after high-speed train collision
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Investigators of the Urda train accident estimate the collision between the AVE and the Iryo occurred at speeds between 160 and 200 km/h. The tragedy has turned attention toward the infrastructure manager, Adif, which reportedly extended the use of an aging safety system to save 37 million euros, and the national safety agency, which has not completed a planned audit in six years.
The confirmed death toll in Toledo stands at 69, while the list of victims in the Urda crash includes former employment minister Fátima Báñez. While technicians and the operator, Iryo, say they warned of frequent signaling issues long before the crash, the government is currently downplaying calls for the transport minister to resign. The complex inquiry into the fatalities has been assigned to a judge who has only just graduated from judicial school.
Away from the tracks, inflation refused to move in October. The rate remained at 4.9%, as the rising cost of living offset a slight dip in the price of fuel.