Spanish Train Drivers Call Nationwide Strike After Deadly Derailments
Spain’s largest train drivers’ union has called for a nationwide strike following a series of deadly train derailments that have raised serious concerns about rail safety across the country.
The union, SEMAF, said the action is aimed at securing firm safety guarantees for drivers and passengers after at least 42 people were killed when two high-speed trains collided following a derailment near Adamuz in Córdoba province on Sunday. The crash, one of Europe’s worst rail disasters in recent years, also claimed the life of a train driver.
The strike call comes amid further incidents linked to severe weather. On Tuesday, a commuter train derailed near Barcelona after a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks during heavy rainfall, killing the driver and injuring four passengers. A third train on Barcelona’s regional network also derailed after a rock fell onto the line, though no injuries were reported.
SEMAF accused rail infrastructure operator Adif of failing to address long-standing safety issues, saying it had warned the agency as far back as August about severe wear on tracks along key high-speed routes. According to the union, potholes, track imbalances and damaged overhead power lines had caused frequent breakdowns and posed risks to trains and crews.
“We will demand criminal responsibility from those in charge of guaranteeing railway safety,” the union said.
Rescue teams continued recovery operations at the Adamuz crash site, dismantling damaged carriages to search for possible additional victims. Adif said it had imposed new speed restrictions on parts of the Madrid–Barcelona line after drivers reported poor track conditions, while overnight inspections identified several sections in need of urgent repairs.
The accidents have disrupted rail services nationwide, with regional trains across Catalonia suspended for inspections, leaving commuters scrambling for alternative transport.
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