At least 68 killed in Spain train collision: investigation launched, rail safety questioned, passengers describe terrifying moment

Questions are being raised about Spain's rail safety after Wednesday's high-speed train collision killed at least 68 people. Authorities have launched an official investigation into the cause of the crash. It is Spain's second fatal high-speed train crash within a year.

Roberto Gomez, a passenger and journalist on the crashed train, described the moment. In an interview he said he was asleep when the high-speed train stopped. Passengers were then told there was congestion on the line. A short while later, soon after the train started moving again, the sudden collision happened. The BBC reported this citing Onda Cero radio.

Describing the experience of the crash, Roberto Gomez said: 'The impact was terrible. You cannot imagine it — the carriage was completely destroyed, and inside the broken carriage all the suitcases were scattered everywhere.'

Gomez himself was slightly injured. He said a passenger was thrown onto him, and that passenger suffered a deep wound to the head.

He said: 'We were able to help people who had suffered serious injuries to the chest and ribs.'

Saying the situation was extremely chaotic and mentally distressing, he said that a few minutes after the incident he and other passengers were finally able to get out through the train's windows.

A passenger named Eduarda was travelling on the train with her two cats. She told the Spanish radio programme 'Hoy por Hoy' that the force of the collision threw her forward and the table in front of her seat broke. Many passengers around her were injured.

After getting out of the train, Eduarda heard screams and saw a carriage on fire. She also said she saw dead people under the train.

Another passenger, Miguel Angel Perez, told the Spanish television programme 'La Hora de la 1' that he heard the sound of a terrible collision. The carriage had partially overturned.

Perez said: 'We felt the train move, derail and tilt to one side. A few seconds were terrifying.'

With the authorities' official investigation now launched, the cause of the crash is being examined, and the incident has raised fresh questions about Spain's rail safety system.