Toledo train crash: Balearic engineers demand action
Mallorca: A train crash in Urda, in Spain’s Toledo province, prompts Balearic engineers to demand more rail investment and better training for staff. Speaking in Palma on 29 October, Ángel de Matías Charro says the crash has damaged public trust in transport. His organisation, the Balearic branch of the College of Civil Engineers, Canals and Ports, says it has called for improvements for some time.
Charro says safety must come first. He wants a thorough investigation, followed by measures to prevent another crash. Spain has suffered two serious rail accidents this year, he says, and something in the system needs to be found and fixed.
Whether human error played a part in Urda remains unclear. But Charro says rail systems should limit the harm a mistake can cause. If a person did make an error, investigators must also look at what failed beforehand, he argues. If a technical fault led to that error, fixing the fault comes first.
Alongside investment and an investigation, Charro calls for rail workers to have the qualifications and training their jobs require.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com