New Facts: Investigators blame human error in collision

Investigators are focusing on human error after the line’s automatic safety system failed and traffic was switched to manual control. A controller at Madrid’s Atocha center cleared an AVE high‑speed train to continue on the same track while an Iryo express was stopped ahead, and investigators are examining whether the required warning was issued to the Iryo that another train was coming.

The automatic train‑control computers crashed around 8:30 a.m., halting at least six trains across a 63‑kilometer stretch. Manual control at Atocha authorized the AVE at 8:36 a.m. It ran about 25 to 26 kilometers and struck the rear of the stationary Iryo around 8:53 a.m.

In these conditions trains must run under a caution order capped at 40 km/h, and investigators are testing whether that restriction was applied. The Civil Guard has questioned the Adif controller and deployed specialist units. Detectives are reconstructing control‑room and driver communications using audio and written logs, black‑box data, and track‑occupancy displays to establish who issued each instruction and whether any warning reached the Iryo as the AVE approached.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources