SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain — The death toll from one of Europe’s worst rail disasters in modern history rose to 69 on Thursday, as Spain’s Civil Guard confirmed that their primary focus is now on identifying the remaining victims of the catastrophic train derailment.
Authorities have urged family members of those still missing to report to local centers established to collect DNA samples, a grim necessity as forensic teams work to match remains with loved ones.
The crash occurred on Wednesday morning when a train traveling from Madrid to Seville barreled into a stationary train, causing massive casualties and scattering wreckage across the tracks.
As the nation begins three days of official mourning, new details have emerged regarding the final moments before the collision. Audio recordings published in Spanish media have revealed conversations between train drivers and a railway control center in the minutes leading up to the disaster.
According to the recordings, it appears that one high-speed train was given clearance to move even though another train approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) up the track had stalled. The conversations between the control center and two drivers are being closely examined by officials investigating the cause of the crash.
The Civil Guard has not commented on the content of the recordings but confirmed that the investigation into the disaster is ongoing. The crash has raised serious questions about the safety protocols and communication systems in place on Spain’s rail network.
As the country grapples with the scale of the tragedy, emergency services continue to work at the site, and flags are flying at half-mast across the nation during the period of mourning.
