Driver who died in Spain's 69-death train smash was told to resume 'normal speed' with a stationary train ahead
Train driver Antonio Acedo, 36, who activated the emergency brake before the collision but was killed instantly when Madrid's control room directed him to resume normal speed without warning him of the stationary Iryo…Fátima Báñez, who pioneered controversial labour reforms as employment minister under Mariano Rajoy, was confirmed dead by the business confederation she chaired.Wrecked carriages thrown down an embankment near Urda, Toledo, after controllers directed a Renfe train to resume at full speed into a stationary Iryo service carrying 147 passengers.Smoke rises from derailed carriages between Los Yébenes and Urda after the crash, which emergency crews feared could surpass the Adamuz disaster, where 46 people died in January.
Train driver Antonio Acedo, 36, was never told a stationary Iryo train blocked the track ahead, even though the Madrid control room knew of the signal failure that had halted it. His family say he activated the emergency brake in his final seconds, a "hero" act that saved hundreds of passengers but could not save him or trainee driver Daniel Muñoz Cob, 31, beside him in the cockpit.
Spanish long jumper Julieta Gallego, 24, and former employment minister Fátima Báñez, 59, are confirmed among the 69 dead.
A headmaster, a composer, a TV presenter and a food bank volunteer are still missing, with families giving DNA samples at Toledo's forensics institute.
Florida firefighter Josue Garcia-Otero and his nurse wife Diamary survived the crash with six relatives, then treated critically injured passengers at the scene.
