Audio recordings of conversations between train drivers and Spain’s Adif control centre have become a key focus in the investigation into the high-speed collision that killed at least 68 people. According to recordings published by Spanish radio station Cadena SER, the driver of the Renfe AVE train was told to continue at normal speed after the LZB safety system failed.
Cadena SER reported that the first relevant exchange took place at 8:31 a.m. on the morning of the crash between the driver and the Adif control centre in Madrid-Atocha. The control-centre operator reportedly told the driver that he could continue under normal operating conditions.
Procedure reportedly required the train to proceed by sight
Reports say the applicable procedure after an LZB system failure required trains to proceed by sight, at a speed that would allow the driver to stop if an obstruction appeared. Spanish media have reported a maximum speed of 40 kilometres per hour under that procedure.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente previously called the decision to allow the Renfe train to continue at normal speed “inexplicable”. Investigators are examining how the instructions were issued and why the relevant safety procedure may not have been followed.
Official cause remains undetermined
The Renfe train subsequently struck an Iryo service that was stopped on the track. At least 68 people were killed. As of Thursday morning, 53 injured people remained in hospital, 15 in critical condition. The audio recordings are an important part of the investigation, but the definitive cause of the crash and any individual responsibility have not yet been officially established.
