Spain's rail network faces intense scrutiny following a second fatal accident in three days, this time near Barcelona. A commuter train derailed after a retaining wall collapsed onto the track near Gelida in Catalonia, killing a 27-year-old trainee driver and injuring 41 people, five critically.
The accident occurred at approximately 9pm on Tuesday, amid unusually heavy rainfall in the region. As a precaution, Catalonia's rail network was shut down pending inspections, stranding hundreds of thousands of passengers and causing widespread disruption. Earlier the same day, a train on the Maresme coast struck a rock on the track, causing minor injuries.
These incidents come just days after a high-speed train collision near Adamuz in southern Spain killed at least 43 people and injured 152. The driver of the Iryo train reportedly called the control centre a minute after the crash, unaware that another train had collided with his. The black box recorder revealed he initially reported a 'snag' before realising the train had derailed.
Spain's largest train drivers' union, Semaf, has called for an indefinite strike, demanding criminal liability for those responsible for safety. 'We cannot accept the constant deterioration of the rail network,' the union said, urging urgent new measures.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente stressed the two accidents were 'completely unrelated', but opposition parties have piled on pressure. Popular party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo demanded an 'immediate clarification' of the state of the railways, while Vox spokesperson Pepa Millán claimed Spaniards were now 'afraid to get on a train'.
Despite these incidents, EU statistics show Spain's rail network remains one of Europe's safest, with only one passenger death in 2024 compared to 20,000 road deaths. However, the recent crashes have highlighted concerns over both the high-speed AVE network and underfunded regional services.
