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Breaking: DFAT trying to confirm welfare of two Australians involved in Spanish train crash

Australian authorities are working to confirm the wellbeing of two Australians after the deadly train crash in Spain earlier this week.

Breaking: DFAT trying to confirm welfare of two Australians involved in Spanish train crash

A Spanish high-speed train crashed this week, killing 69 people in the deadliest accident since 2013. The driver, Antonio Acedo, had previously warned about the "shocking deterioration" of the country's railway infrastructure. The crash involved a collision between two trains, with Acedo's train traveling at over 160 kph and derailing the other train.

Spanish media released audio recordings of the final moments before the crash, where Acedo was instructed to restart his train at full speed despite a second immobilized train in front of him. Railway unions have accused a failing system, not human error, as the cause of the accident. The driver's political activism over infrastructure issues may have been a factor, with his party founder calling the government's handling of the crash "intolerable."

As a result, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's re-election bid has been soured, with opposition parties calling for his resignation. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, with a preliminary report indicating a rail fracture.

Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Also reported by 4 other outlets

Read the original at abc.net.au →

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