They are examining EU funds after the train crash. An investigation was initiated

The investigation was initiated on the EPPO's own initiative. It concerns possible irregularities in the use of EU funds intended for safety-related work on the Madrid - Seville railway line, where on October 28, 2026, near the town of Urda in the province of Toledo, a tragic accident occurred, in which 69 people died.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the commencement of the proceedings following great public interest. However, no details of the case were presented. Importantly, this is not the only investigation involving the same railway line. The first one was initiated in March 2026.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is an independent body of the European Union responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to justice perpetrators of crimes affecting the EU's financial interests.

One train was standing, the other was moving. 69 people died

According to the authorities, 54 victims of the train accident in Urda, which occurred at the end of October, were Spanish citizens, and the remaining 15 were foreigners. The foreigners include four Americans, two Australians and two Japanese, as well as one citizen of the Czech Republic, Argentina, Canada, France, Portugal, Mexico and Tunisia.

The tragedy in Urda occurred on the high-speed route connecting Madrid with Seville, when a train of the state carrier Renfe hit the rear of a train of the private operator Iryo. 69 people died and 110 were injured in the train crash.

Control failure and control center decisions

According to the findings so far, the beginning of the tragedy was a failure of the LZB traffic control system. In such situations, the trains are automatically stopped and further movement is coordinated by the control center.

The controller allegedly allowed two trains traveling on the same track from Madrid to Seville to continue, although the driver of the first train - belonging to Iryo - informed twice that she could not move. A few minutes later, a Renfe train hit the stationary train.

The presence of two trains on the same track is not in itself unusual. There are over 130 trains per day (in both directions) on the Madrid-Seville high-speed rail route. The signaling system should maintain a safe distance between them, and under normal conditions the LZB automatically limits the speed of the train behind and, if necessary, applies the brakes.