Tributes pour in for British Cambridge scientist among the 69 killed in Spain's high-speed train crash
Dr Marta Shahbazi, the Cambridge biologist confirmed among the 69 killed, had been travelling to receive an award from the Spanish Society for Developmental Biology when the crash occurred on Wednesday.
Four Americans, a Canadian and a Japanese national are among the 69 people confirmed dead in Spain's Toledo rail disaster, in which a Renfe high-speed train collided with a stationary Iryo service on 28 October following four separate system failures, including a catastrophic collapse of the LZB collision-prevention system at Urda. Investigators established that the driver had been given incorrect clearance to proceed, with communication faults and electrical disturbances also identified. More than 100 people were injured and rescue teams continue to search the wreckage.
Cambridge cell biologist Dr Marta Shahbazi, 41, a mother-of-two, was travelling to receive a Spanish Society for Developmental Biology award when she was killed; her brother Carlos said 'she lived for science and her kids — that was her whole life'.
Among Spain's 54 dead is former employment minister Fátima Báñez, 59, and athlete Julieta Gallego, 24.
Transport minister Oscar Puente revealed the LZB safety system had failed 170 times in the past year, though he called that figure 'normal and around the EU average'.
