Spain continues identifying victims of train collision amid growing calls to dismiss transport minister

At least 69 people were killed and dozens injured in a train collision that occurred on Wednesday in central Spain. Authorities continue efforts to identify the victims, as investigations proceed and Transport Minister Óscar Puente rejects calls for his resignation.

At least 69 people were killed and dozens injured in a train collision that occurred on Wednesday in central Spain. Authorities continue, as of Friday, their efforts to identify the victims and locate the missing, as investigations into the cause of the disaster continue. Authorities received 70 reports of missing persons, conducted 48 autopsies, and identified five victims. Preliminary investigations indicate that a fault in an information system led to the stoppage of several trains, followed by incorrect instructions from the control center for a train belonging to the state company Renfe to resume its journey, before it collided with a train belonging to the private company Iryo that was stopped on the track, at a speed between 160 and 200 kilometers per hour. Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente rejects calls for his resignation, while deputies and trade unions demand his dismissal. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the incident shook confidence in the country's high-speed rail system.