The 40cm Fracture That Killed 45: Spain High-Speed Train Crash Investigation 2026
A preliminary report on the Spain high-speed train crash investigation 2026 reveals a 40cm track fracture was the primary cause of the derailment that killed 45 people in Adamuz.
The track was already broken before the train even arrived. An initial report has revealed that a fracture in a straight section of track caused last Sunday's rail disaster in Spain, which tragically claimed 45 lives. The investigation is now focusing on a 40cm gap that led to the country's worst rail accident in over a decade.
Spain High-Speed Train Crash Investigation 2026: The Fatal 40cm Gap
According to the CIAF rail investigation commission, the derailment occurred at approximately 19:45 local time near Adamuz. A train operated by private company Iryo derailed, sending its rear carriages into the path of an oncoming state-owned Renfe train. Investigators found that the 40cm gap in the rail caused carriage six of the Iryo train to lose continuity and derail.
Government Response and Detection Limits
Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that it's too early for definitive answers, but he noted that if the fracture happened shortly before the crash, current detection systems couldn't have flagged it. This incident echoes the 2013 Galicia disaster, raising urgent questions about infrastructure maintenance in the age of high-speed rail liberalization.
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