Spanish rescuers search for victims as train crash death toll rises to 69
By
asserted
toll → search → 69
Rescuers picked through mangled carriages on Thursday in a grim search for victims of Spain’s second fatal high-speed train crash this year, as the death toll rose to 69 and hopes of finding further survivors faded.
asserted
hopes → pick → survivors
After cranes worked through the night to lift parts of the wreckage of Wednesday’s crash, emergency workers were seen carrying what appeared to be a body wrapped in a blanket from one of the trains in the central Spanish province of Toledo.
asserted
what → work → Toledo
Regional leader Emiliano Garcia-Page said the death toll had risen to 69 people and that human remains had been found during overnight rescue efforts.
asserted
remains → say → efforts
Work now involved crane operations, particularly on a carriage that was still overturned.
asserted
that → involve → carriage
“We do not believe there could be any more fatalities beneath that one, but I say this with caution,” he said.
uncertain
he → believe → caution
UNIONS BLAME LACK OF FUNDING
Meanwhile, train drivers in Spain went ahead with a previously planned strike to press for more investment in railway safety a day after Europe’s deadliest train accident since a 2013 derailment in Spain’s Santiago de Compostela.
asserted
drivers → blame → Compostela
“We will continue demanding the necessary measures to make this sector safe again …
asserted
sector → continue → measures
It must have all the safety systems required to maintain the quality standards we have always had,” said Diego Martín of the train drivers’ union SEMAF.
asserted
Martín → have → union
“We cannot tolerate, under any circumstances, this type of incident happening again.
asserted
type → tolerate → incident
Everyone should be able to travel without the risk of suffering this kind of accident,” he added at Madrid’s Atocha railway station.
asserted
he → travel → station
The crash, which followed another fatal accident in January involving the same rail companies on the same line, has also upended campaigning for a November 29 snap election, with the leaders of Spain’s two main parties suspending campaign events.
asserted
leaders → follow → events
Spain’s government has declared three days of national mourning for those killed in the crash, which Transport Minister Oscar Puente said happened after several trains stopped due to a signal failure.
asserted
trains → declare → failure
A state-run Renfe train was then authorized to proceed at normal speed, even though there was a stationary Iryo-operated train ahead, Puente said on Wednesday.
asserted
Puente → run → Wednesday
Unions have already blamed a lack of funding and will to improve safety, saying that talks after the accident in January were abandoned in April.
asserted
talks → blame → April
Meanwhile, the government has said that the decision to authorize the Renfe train to continue its journey was “inexplicable.”
asserted
decision → say → journey
POPE SENDS CONDOLENCES
asserted
POPE → send → CONDOLENCES
Pope Leo sent his condolences to the families of those killed, wished a speedy recovery to the injured and conveyed his support and comfort to all affected, the Vatican said, adding he had also encouraged rescue workers to continue their efforts.
asserted
he → send → efforts
Of those injured, authorities said 57 remained in hospital.
asserted
57 → injure → hospital
The crash prompted a major operation, which Spain’s interior ministry said involved the deployment of more than 800 military and police personnel, over 200 vehicles, three helicopters, a mobile command post, drones, mounted units and search dogs.
asserted
ministry → prompt → personnel
As investigations began, a judge in Toledo barred anyone not involved in emergency, security, healthcare or judicial work from the crash site with a 2-km (1.2-mile) exclusion zone in both directions along the Madrid-Seville high-speed rail line.
asserted
judge → begin → line
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who traveled to Toledo to take part in a meeting to monitor and coordinate the emergency response, said authorities were working “day and night” to support the victims and their families and to “get to the bottom of every last detail of this tragedy.”
asserted
authorities → travel → tragedy
Meanwhile, Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, leader of the center-right People’s Party, which is currently leading in polls, was due to visit the town of Urda, where local people rushed to help with rescue efforts in the aftermath of the crash.
asserted
people → lead → crash
FOREIGN NATIONALS AMONG CASUALTIES
Spain’s foreign ministry said 42 foreign citizens from seven countries were involved in the crash, information available so far showed, of whom one was killed and at least seven injured.
asserted
seven → say → whom
Wednesday’s accident has added urgency to a debate about safety on Spain’s railways, Europe’s longest network and until recently a source of pride in the country.
asserted
accident → add → country
Train drivers would go ahead with their strike to press for structural changes in railway safety, SEMAF said, adding that it was studying further action.
asserted
it → go → action
Renfe said the strike caused significant disruption to rail services, adding that passengers could change or cancel tickets free of charge and would be notified of affected services.
uncertain
passengers → say → services
The Aporia
