Second Japanese national confirmed dead in Spanish train crash

Spanish authorities have confirmed that a second Japanese national was among the 69 people killed in a high-speed train collision in central Spain last week, bringing the total number of Japanese fatalities to two.

Authorities announced Monday that they had identified all 69 victims of the Oct. 28 collision near the municipality of Urda in the central province of Toledo, including the second Japanese national.

The first Japanese victim was identified Sunday. The names and other personal details of the Japanese victims have not been released.

Of those killed, 40 were men and 29 were women — all adults. The dead included 54 Spanish nationals and 15 foreign nationals, including four Americans and two Australians. Authorities identified 56 victims through fingerprint analysis and the remaining 13 through DNA testing.

The collision occurred when a high-speed train operated by state-owned railway company Renfe struck the rear of a stationary train operated by private rail company Iryo. Both trains were traveling from Madrid to Seville, carrying a combined total of about 540 passengers and crew.

The following train was estimated to have been traveling at between 160 and 200 kilometers per hour when it struck the stationary train. Around 200 people were injured.

Investigators are examining whether human error contributed to the crash, including instructions issued by railway controllers after the first train stopped because of a malfunction in its automatic control system.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday that the Japanese government is working closely with Spanish authorities to identify the victims and provide assistance to their families.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged Monday to take measures to restore public confidence in the country’s high-speed rail network and provide support to the injured and victims’ families, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Information from Jiji added