deadly train derailment in Spain

Another deadly train derailment this time in Spain at least ten dead
www.bbc.co.uk...

A train has derailed in north-western Spain, with several people believed to have been killed.

Spanish railway company Renfe confirmed the train had come off the tracks near the city of Santiago de Compostela in the Galicia region

Sure seems like a lot of big train derailments lately

eta

Spanish news agency Efe quoted police and hospital sources as saying at least 50 people were injured in the derailment

Other sources are saying at least 10 dead

leaving at least 35 people dead and 50 injured.

A high-speed train has reportedly derailed in Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, leaving at least 35 people dead and 50 injured. Media reports suggest the death toll may rise.

The train, which reportedly had 240 people on board, was en route between Madrid and Ferrol. According to media reports, 13 cars derailed – at least four of which caught fire.

Renfe, the company which operates the train, has not given any details on the number of people injured or killed. However, it did confirm that the accident is one of the most serious derailments ever to happen in Spain.

There are reports of bodies scattered around the scene covered in blankets, as emergency services perform their work.

"Neighbors in the area tell Spanish and European media they heard 'an explosion' at the time of derailment", said Actualidad.

Unofficial statements on Cadena SER radio claim that the train was exceeding the speed limit.

Alvia trains can reach a speed of 250 kilometers per hour while traveling on high speed rails, though they typically travel at 220 kilometers per hour over normal lines.

rt.com...


This is like the 8th big train wreck this year... These are attacks, no way in hell these are accidents.

I mean really how many times have you hard about deadly train wrecks? Prior to this year..

reply to post by Senduko

I mean really how many times have you hard about deadly train wrecks? Prior to this year..

Honestly, I can't think of any

reply to post by Senduko

leaving at least 35 people dead and 50 injured

wow up to 35 fast. I hope that's it but I fear it will get worse

pic from the rt link

rt.com...

reply to post by goou111


Ok, something is definitely up. Way to many of these in such a short amount of time. Has there been any proven causes that these are human or mechanical error? I'm going to follow up on the previous derailments to see what the experts have concluded. May the dead rest in peace and the injured recover quickly.

Well, this perks my interest.

www.guardian.co.uk...

The train operated by state rail company Renfe with 247 people on board derailed on the eve of the ancient city's main festival when thousands of Christian pilgrims travel in to pack the streets.

Up to 45 casualties.

This happened really close to where I was living in northern spain.

several things could have happened.

1 down sizing caused poor maintenance. Feve just fired a bunch of maintenance people in recent years and so maybe the smaller crews didn't get to check all the tracks just yet. sometimes the tracks warp on those mountain trails in the summer from the stress and the heat.

or

2 during recent miners protests over the last 10 years, as per their custom of shutting down roads and railways with traps and road blocks, one such trap which was set by the miners went unnoticed by clean up crews after the rail ways were opened up again after the protest was over.

the railway traps can be explosive in nature and even several years old. The Miners usually just lay boulders on the tracks when they shut them down in protest....but being that they are miners...they have dynamite and have had the will to use it in the past.

either way my prayers go out to those who lost their life.

Originally posted by goou111
reply to post by Senduko

 

I mean really how many times have you hard about deadly train wrecks? Prior to this year..

Honestly, I can't think of any

A minimal amount of research shows about 40 per year.
Mostly India and China.

List of Rail Accidents between 2010 and Present

The number per year almost doubles after 2005.
List of Train Accidents between 2000 and 2009

The aftermath

I was actually going to dedicate a thread to whether or not these derailments are the result of foul-play. Honestly, I wouldn't even doubt it. Just prior to the derailment in Canada earlier this month, an arrest was made involving a 'terrorist plot' to attack by derailing trains...

(04/22/13)
Canadian terrorist plot to attack via rail-train thwarted.

Two men arrested over ‘al-Qaeda inspired’ plan to attack a Via Rail train in Toronto area:

The RCMP arrested two men Monday in connection with an “al-Qaeda-inspired” plan to attack a Via Rail train in the Toronto area, which they said could have led to innocent people being killed or injured.

The plot was to derail the train somewhere in the Toronto area, and the two accused had allegedly been watching trains and railways in preparation.

The RCMP generally released few details of the intended attack, including of exactly how the alleged terrorists intended to carry out the derailment, or what triggered the investigation.

news.nationalpost.com...

Then you have France, an earlier one this year in Baltimore, (not saying it's related) and now this...
regardless, it certainly seems a bit odd.

bbc news is just reporting unconfirmed reports of explosions being heard before the crash

I don't know if this might have anything to do with it?

Earthquakes

Magnitude ML 2.2
Region SPAIN
Date time 2013-07-24 15:22:45.0 UTC
Location 42.68 N ; 7.68 W
Depth 1 km
Distances
416 km NW of Madrid, Spain / pop: 3,255,944 / local time: 17:22:45.0 2013-07-24
74 km E of Santiago de Compostela, Spain / pop: 95,092 / local time: 17:22:45.0 2013-07-24
36 km S of Lugo, Spain / pop: 96,678 / local time: 17:22:45.0 2013-07-24
11 km E of Taboada, Spain / pop: 3,818 / local time: 17:22:45.0 2013-07-24

High speed train, could this have affected the tracks, just looking for a connection? Prayers for the dead and the injured

There were witnesses (neighbours) that heard a loud bang just before the derailment. A lot of them are suggesting an attack. And not only because of the bang they heard.
Remember this week it's the feast of the saint. Time of the year with the most visitors. Tomorrow, july 25, they celebrate Santiago de Compostela.
Coincidence?
Many people hear say no.

The BBC update at approx 23.15 says at least 35 people are dead, and there are reports of an explosion, although that is not to say. The RT update says 45 people are dead, and that a terrorist attack has been ruled out.

reply to post by whatnext21


This happened 6 hours before the crash and the only train passing on those tracks.

The story goes. Probably the train's velocity was too high to take the curve, where the accident happened.
Dreailment because of speeding.

Another thing, the train left at the same station or departure rail(don't know the exact name in english) where in 2004 a terrorist attack happened.
MAybe it has nothing to do with it but there is much coincidence.


edit. at least 45 death are reported now

Originally posted by intergalactic fire
reply to post by whatnext21

 

This happened 6 hours before the crash and the only train passing on those tracks.

The story goes. Probably the train's velocity was too high to take the curve, where the accident happened.
Dreailment because of speeding.

Another thing, the train left at the same station or departure rail(don't know the exact name in english) where in 2004 a terrorist attack happened.
MAybe it has nothing to do with it but there is much coincidence.

Speed does seem to have come into the focus, according to one report at RT, I'm not sure how. I thought new systems since the bad crash in Japan would limit a trains speed in bends to the recommended speed automatically.

reply to post by smurfy


This is what is being said on television yes. RENFE says the accident is caused due to exessive speed.
It's now ruled out being an attack and denying the explosions ( what is being reported right now)


ultimahora.es...

Vecinos de la zona también han indicado que el tren iba a una "velocidad normal" para entrar en la estación y que llegaron a escuchar un ruido, previo al descarrilamiento, y acto seguido ya se produjo una gran humareda.

It says,
residents said the train was driving at a normal speed and they heard a sound just before the derailment.
immediately after that there was a lot of smoke.
I you ask me, i don't believe the actual story of speeding.

edit. 56 death now and still passengers trapped inside.

reply to post by intergalactic fire

Yes and I am getting that the drivers, (two) are not amongst those killed, and are in shock, and that they don't know what happened.
Also, it is reported that it was a 70km zone. I also noticed in one video shot that a rail has a 'black box' This could be of the type that would slow a train automatically, however this is just my guess.

Originally posted by goou111
reply to post by Senduko

 

I mean really how many times have you hard about deadly train wrecks? Prior to this year..

Honestly, I can't think of any

Really? Train derailments/crashes are actually rather common. A simple search of the net would tell you that. Here in the UK, we get several a year with various causes, usually at level crossings but there was one only a few days ago where a train hit another in a station.

As for the "bangs" people heard, this could have been anything. The rail breaking, something on the train giving way - I wouldn't read too much into it, especially as there is naff all evidence of an explosion.

My bet is poor maintenance - Spain has massive budget issues and high unemployment, it was probably a badly maintained rail that gave out under stress, possibly with the added issue of heat. An example of this would be the Potters Bar crash in the UK - poor maintenance led to a rail breaking and the train left the tracks and mounted the platform of the station it was passing through at 70mph. This is what led to Railtrack being taken back into Government ownership as the privately owned firm was too focussed on profits and not doing it's job.

I'm thinking Al-cia'da "terrorist" cells.

OR something that occurred to me; I recently heard here in Belgium the European council is trying to get a bill approved that would force every country to put in a safety deadlock on tracks.


Maybe something like that? I don't know still.. I fear this isn't the last one this year. But why trains tho?

EDIT: nvm that wouldn't explain china,russia, canada.