Four US citizens, Canadian among victims of deadly Spain train crash

A high-speed train collision in Spain claimed the lives of 69 people, marking the country's second such accident this year and sparking concerns over rail safety. The victims came from various countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Tunisia, and the Czech Republic, according to authorities. The disaster, which occurred on Wednesday, is considered one of Europe's deadliest rail accidents of the century, leaving victims' families to endure a long and difficult wait as forensic teams work to identify the deceased.

A specialized legal body dedicated to the identification process announced the latest confirmed foreign victims on Sunday, bringing the total to ten. The list already included a French and a Portuguese citizen, along with 54 Spaniards. As of now, all but three of the victims have been identified, with three missing persons cases remaining active, involving two Australians and one Japanese citizen.

Authorities have stated that they are awaiting the arrival of the families of the missing individuals to facilitate in-person identification.

The accident took place outside the village of Urda, approximately 130 kilometers south of Madrid, when a Renfe service collided with a stationary train operated by Spanish company Iryo. The incident occurred after an automatic safety system failure halted all trains on a 63-kilometer stretch of track. Despite this, a control center authorized the Renfe service to resume its journey while the other train was still in motion.

The tragedy unfolded just one month before a general election on November 29, in which Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez aims to secure a second term following an election marked by unfavorable polls.