The process of identifying the 69 victims of the serious railway accident in Spain is continuing, while emergency teams remain engaged at the scene. The government has called for a full investigation to determine the causes of the accident.
Domenec Ruiz Devesa, a representative of the Spanish government, has called for accountability and transparency following the tragedy.
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Speaking to the BBC’s “Today” programme, Devesa said the incident could not automatically be linked to a lack of investment in Spain’s railway network. He said the latest accident differed significantly from another incident that occurred on the same line earlier this year, in which more than 40 people lost their lives.
According to the main preliminary hypothesis mentioned by Devesa, the incident may have begun with a fault in the electronic system and been followed by human error. He called for a review of technical aspects and safety policies, but stressed that only the investigation could determine the final cause.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that assistance centres had been established at the accident site for the victims’ families and those affected by the incident.
Psychological support is being provided to relatives, survivors and people who were near the scene of the accident. Sanchez praised the work of the rescue teams, describing it as extraordinary, and said the government was working intensively to determine the causes.
A Guardia Civil spokesperson told the BBC that the operation involved more than 900 people from several specialised departments. According to him, the main task was identifying the victims, a process that could take time.
Relatives of missing people have been invited to go to the special centres set up in the area, where they can provide DNA samples to help with identification. Authorities have yet to confirm whether the number of victims could rise, while clarifying that the priority remains identifying everyone involved in the tragedy.
Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, thanked the personnel involved in the rescue operations and the provision of healthcare during a press conference with Prime Minister Sanchez.
Garcia-Page also announced that positive news had been received about some survivors being treated in hospital and called on citizens to donate blood in the coming days.
“We are facing a human tragedy,” Garcia-Page said, stressing that not all the bodies had yet been found and that some people remained missing.
Emergency operations are continuing in Spain, while authorities and the public await information about the circumstances that led to this latest serious railway tragedy.
