The judge investigating the Toledo rail disaster has urgently called for additional crane crews and shifts to speed up the search for victims’ remains, after a shortage of workers prevented the removal of wrecked carriages overnight.
The collision near the village of Urda in Castilla-La Mancha’s Toledo province on Wednesday killed 69 people. Forensic teams have identified 56 of those who died, while families continue to wait for the recovery and identification process to be completed.
The judicial instruction was issued with the intention of keeping carriage-removal work running through Sunday night. According to RTVE, there were too few workers from the crane company contracted by Adif and Renfe for the operation to continue. Work resumed on Sunday morning.
Autopsies have been completed on all 69 people killed. Of the 56 identified so far, 54 were Spanish nationals, one was French and one Portuguese.
The number of injured people still being treated has fallen to 31. Of the 110 people initially hospitalized, 79 have been discharged.
13 remain in Intensive Care
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente has ruled out resigning as the investigation into the Urda rail disaster focused on a succession of technical failures and operating decisions that preceded the collision
Speaking at his second press conference since Wednesday’s crash, Puente said his responsibility was to establish what happened, provide explanations and take measures to restore public confidence in the railway
The minister faces mounting pressure from opposition parties and railway unions after Spain’s second major high-speed rail disaster in nine months
Ninety year old Japanese bodybuilder Toshisuke Kanazawa, competed at an International Federation of Fitness and Bodybuilding event in the Spanish coastal town of Santa Susanna this weekend. He took part in the veterans’ category for athletes aged 50 and over, competing against rivals decades younger than him.
The bodybuilder attributes his physical condition to a strict diet he has followed for decades. According to him, after turning 50, he built muscle by eating brown rice, natto — fermented soybeans — and miso soup. Kanazawa said that thanks to this traditional Japanese diet, he has not been ill even once in 90 years.
The athlete did not place among the winners at the tournament, but he does not rule out another appearance. He said he may try to compete at the age of 93, after which he will probably retire from competition!
…and that’s your Spanish News