Spain's PM promises to step up safety to ensure that Urda train accident 'never repeats'

"The entire general state administration, all the institutions that form part of the state, from the smallest local authority to the government of Spain, is working day and night not only to provide answers to the victims' families, but also to shed light on every last detail of this tragedy and, of course, to strengthen safety measures so that this never happens again," Sánchez said.

The second high-speed accident to claim numerous lives in less than ten months has, as happened after Adamuz, sparked a debate over whether the investment allocated to maintaining an already ageing network, which has been subject to intensive use following the recent liberalisation, is sufficient.

It has turned the spotlight on Transport Minister Óscar Puente, with just one month to go before the general election on 29 November.

Unlike Puente, Sánchez did not cite any causes. He even expressed his gratitude to Adif, whose control centre Puente identified as the source of the tragedy.

According to sources, operators at the control centre gave an incorrect order to the Renfe train driver to resume the journey at normal speed, despite the fact that the LZB safety system was inactive and there was a train on the same track.

Sánchez also did not respond to the demands of opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who has called for an immediate government inquiry, a judicial inquiry and an independent review of the entire rail network. The prime minister merely praised the institutional collaboration in place to "provide a rapid, urgent and effective response" to the tragedy.

Sánchez also alluded to future compensation for the families of the deceased, "at least from a material point of view", although without specifying its scope or timeframe.

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