Spain has requested help from the European Union to investigate the Urda (Toledo) railway accident, which left 69 dead last October 28. The request has been attended by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), which will collaborate with Spanish investigators by providing the necessary technical support to clarify what happened.
The European Commissioner for Transport, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, confirmed this Wednesday that the Spanish authorities have requested the collaboration of the community body. "The agency will provide all necessary technical assistance," he assured during a press conference held in Brussels.
However, the European official wanted to make it clear that the agency's participation does not mean that Spain loses control of the investigations. "The investigation remains completely under the authority and direction of the Spanish investigators," he explained. The investigation is in the hands of the Independent Administrative Authority for the Technical Investigation of Railway, Maritime and Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents (AITAT), the body responsible for determining the causes of the accident. This entity was the one that formally requested the assistance of the European agency.
Brussels calls for caution regarding the two railway accidents in Spain
During his speech, Tzitzikostas also referred to the two major railway accidents recorded in Spain this year: that of Urda and that of Adamuz (Córdoba). The commissioner acknowledged his concern about the succession of both tragedies, which have caused numerous fatalities. "Two accidents in one year is definitely something we don't want to see," he said. However, he insisted that it is still too early to determine what happened and asked to wait for the results of the investigations before drawing conclusions.
"It is too early to draw conclusions," reiterated the European official, who defended that an independent investigation will allow the facts to be known. In addition, he extended his condolences to the families of the victims and once again focused on railway safety.
"For all means of transport, safety will always be my priority," he stated. In this regard, he insisted that safety cannot take a back seat and defended the need to reinforce train protection systems.
The EU calls for accelerating the European railway safety system
Beyond the investigation into the Urda accident, the European Commissioner took advantage of his intervention to demand that the implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) be accelerated on all railway lines.
This system improves communication between trains and railway infrastructure, in addition to reinforcing traffic control and safety. For Tzitzikostas, its deployment is fundamental to achieving the highest levels of protection in European rail transport. "It is the only way we can achieve the highest level of safety and the only way to invest in high-speed rail in Europe," he argued.
The European Commission has been advocating for years for railways as a more sustainable transport alternative, especially for their ability to reduce polluting emissions. However, the latest accidents recorded in Spain once again highlight the importance of guaranteeing passenger safety and restoring confidence in high-speed rail.
