Grieving Spain demands answers for latest rail disaster

Grieving Spain seeks answers after a second high-speed train collision this year claimed 69 lives and injured many more. The disaster, which occurred south of Madrid on Wednesday morning, involved a Renfe train plowing into a stationary Iryo train operated by a private company. Manuel San Emeterio, whose 54-year-old brother is missing, came to Toledo to provide DNA samples to the Civil Guard.

The uncertainty and grief are overwhelming, but relatives are holding onto hope. Toledo has received 52 of the 69 corpses, straining its morgue's capacity and prompting the army to set up an improvised facility. Forensic experts and sniffer dogs are combing the crash site for victims. Flags at half-mast and national mourning ceremonies marked the first day of a three-day period of mourning.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged to establish the full details of the tragedy and strengthen safety measures. Transport Minister Oscar Puente stated that an automatic control system failure caused the accident, but criticized the control center for not verifying the error promptly. The head of train driver union Semaf accused the government of focusing on "culprits" instead of addressing degraded safety systems. Train drivers continued a strike to demand better rail safety.