World

EU Prosecutors Probe Possible Misuse of Funds After Urda Train Crash

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

European Union prosecutors have started an investigation into the possible misuse of EU funds earmarked for upgrading the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed railway line, following the fatal Urda train crash that killed 69 people on 28 October. The inquiry is being conducted at the offices of Adif, the rail infrastructure authority, and AESF, the rail safety agency, by prosecutors supported by a special unit of Spain’s Guardia Civil. The Urda accident, in which a Renfe train collided with a stationary Iryo train 130 km south of Madrid, was the second EU fraud probe into Spain’s railways this year. The first was triggered by the January Adamuz crash that killed 46 people on the same line. Together, the two incidents on the Madrid‑Seville line have claimed 115 lives and caused dozens of injuries. The EPPO announced the investigation on Friday, noting the high public interest but withholding further details. A Spanish judge assigned to the case will oversee legal safeguards, including any house searches or phone‑tapping. The Urda disaster has weakened the Socialist‑led government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ahead of the 29 November general election, with the party trailing the conservative People’s Party in most polls. Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who had overseen both accidents, resigned this week. His successor, Carlos Cuerpo, pledged to restore public confidence in Spain’s high‑speed rail and met survivors of the Adamuz crash, who presented him with 11 safety demands. A funeral for the 69 Urda victims will be held on Tuesday at Toledo Cathedral. The incidents have led to widespread train cancellations and empty station platforms as many Spaniards become wary of using the rail network.