Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
The harrowing voicemail of one of the drivers who was involved in the deadly train crash that occurred in southern Spain last weekend.
Two high-speed trains crashed in Adamuz in Cordoba on Sunday evening. It was the deadliest rail accident in Spain since 80 people died in Santiago de Compostela last year.
At least 42 people – including the driver of an Alvia train operated by government-owned Renfe – are known to have died after carriages on a Madrid-bound Iryo service carrying over 300 passengers crossed onto an adjacent line and collided with an oncoming train destined for Huelva.
The audio recording of the desperate phone call by the Iryo driver to a Madrid control centre has now been released.
READ MORE: DISPATCH: A heavy silence fills the air… even as Spain’s king and queen arrive to pay their respects to at least 41 dead in Cordoba
At first, the driver informs the control centre at Atocha that he has suffered an ‘entanglement’ near Adamuz.
The driver is panicked on a second phone call as he realizes the train has derailled. He tells the operator, “I urgently need the traffic to be stopped, please.”
Investigators looking into the cause of this horrific accident believe that the Huelva train collided with the derailed Iryo services just 20 seconds after they came off the tracks, which suggests the crash may have occurred before the driver requested the line be closed.
The operator of the control center, who replied: “There aren’t any trains approaching,” suggests that the collision has already occurred.
The full transcription of the call is available here:
Atocha control centre: Atocha is 6189.
Iryo train driver: Hello Atocha – look, I’ve just had an entanglement at the height of Adamuz.
You are there, I am there. Please give me your phone number. Please write it down. […] Here, I was told to lower my pantographs.
There’s no way to go lower.
Have you already lowered your windows?
Everything is down.
OK. Understood.
Right now, I have the train stopped.
So you can’t move, right?
No, you’ll need to check the situation.
Yes, you’ll need to inspect the item.
Yes.
One second, driver – don’t hang up. Or I will call you now, OK?
No problem, please.
READ MORE: Two deadly train derailments in Spain in one week have prompted calls for strike action by train drivers.
Atocha control centre: Atocha is 6189.
Iryo train driver: Hello Atocha, 6189 here. This is a train derailment. I’m also invading adjacent tracks. Derailment. And I invade the adjacent track.
OK, received – thanks for notifying us.
Please, I urgently need the traffic to stop on those lines.
Yes, yes, yes… there are no trains approaching…
Also, I have a fire. I have to leave the cab, because I want to check. One carriage is on flames.
I have your phone number – perfect. This is what I’ll do. I will contact you soon.
You will also need to send ambulances and fire brigades, as I have people who are injured on the train.
OK, OK, received.
You’ve got my number, okay?
Yes, it’s mine.
I’m abandoning the cab – I’ll keep you informed, OK?
OK, perfect. Speak briefly.
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