Investigators locate previously unreported train undercarriage near Adamuz crash site

Officials said they located a previously unreported train undercarriage near the site of a deadly high-speed rail crash near Adamuz, Spain. The hulking piece of debris was seen half submerged in a stream in a steep-sided gully about 900 feet from the railway, a photographer for The New York Times reported.

The part was not marked or cordoned off and had not been disclosed by officials before the photographer saw it. When shown images and maps locating the undercarriage, police officers assisting the investigation first said they had been looking for it and later said they knew about it but could not comment on an ongoing probe.

ADIF, the state authority that manages much of Spain’s rail infrastructure, said the part had been located by investigators but did not say when it was found. Experts and people briefed on the investigation said the finding could be a critical clue if the undercarriage belonged to one of the two trains involved.

“This is going to be real important if this turns out to be the root cause of the accident,” said David B. Clarke, a railroad expert. One person briefed on the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the photograph appeared to show a set of wheels that could shed light on the cause.

Key Topics

World, Spain Rail Crash, Adamuz, Córdoba, Adif, Renfe