Spain: Dozens killed after one high-speed train slams into another

Hello there. We just heard then from Spain's transport minister, Oscar Puente, about that devastating rail accident in Spain. As a reminder, at least 64 people are confirmed dead, the toll steadily rising then since the accident occurred this morning. Still no word on how many people are injured. The transport minister also warning that this isn't necessarily the final count. For more, we're going to cross now to our Spain correspondent, Sarah Morris, who is on site where that accident occurred in central Spain. Sarah, thank you very much for joining us now. So, I mean, what more did we learn then in those remarks from Spain's transport minister about today's accident? Well, the transport minister seemed to confirm those reports that had been out there that that train that was operated by the state operator was traveling far too fast and should have been stopped because one high speed train operated by the Italian operator was stopped on the tracks because of a problem. And the traffic light systems should have signalled the train to stop. The traffic control should have told that train to stop. And instead of slowing down, it was travelling at 200 kilometres per hour. That explains the gravity of the impact of that big train going into the EU that was stopped on the tracks and sending those, six carriages down the embankment carrying passengers. The Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, also confirmed that at least 64 people have died in that collision, but warned that there are many more that are injured and that the emergency services, he said, are still working. And I mean, I'm at the scene of the accident. We have been stopped by the police to allow the emergency services to get through. I can see the trains in the distance, but I can see just numerous vehicles, ambulances coming by all the time, as well as helicopters that we know have airlifted the injured to those local hospitals, Some of them being taken as far away as the Spanish capital, depending on their different needs. The Spanish capital from here in Toledo is about two hours away. So those helicopters are proving absolutely vital. I'm also seeing fire engines with heavy lifting equipment going past, presumably to try to help lift up some of that wreckage, mangled carriages to try to save whoever can be saved. And Oscar Puente, of course, will be under fire to answer many questions about why there could have been a second serious accident in this year. You'll remember that in January, 46 people died and the accident happened in towards the south in Andalusia, but on the very, very same line affected today. So, Sarah, this is, of course, I mean, the second major crash involving train travel in Spain in less than a year. What does this suggest about the Spanish rail infrastructure? It will worry Spaniards enormously, particularly because in the last year or two, and particularly since that accident earlier in January, There have been a lot of slowing down of trains, cancelled trains. There has been a feeling that the infrastructure is flagging, badly maintained. This is the criticism and the allegation. And so we know that the first accident in January was to do the investigation, which is still ongoing in the courts, but to do with welding on the tracks. And so a maintenance concern has already been raised from that one. Now, from Oscar Puente's remarks about this second accident this year, we're looking at signalling failures. We're also looking at human error protocols, how the communications between those two trains and what was happening didn't get through. So the transport minister will be under fire. And of course, that comes in a month when we're going to have an early election. Sarah Morris, our correspondent in Spain. Thank you very much.