Undercarriage Found Near Adamuz Could Be Key to Spain Rail Crash

Officials said on Tuesday they found a previously unreported train undercarriage half submerged in a stream down a gully near Adamuz in southern Spain. The discovery could help investigators clarify what caused a high-speed crash that killed at least 42 people. The hulking piece of debris was seen by a photographer for The New York Times and appeared roughly 900 feet from the tracks in a steep-sided gully.

It had not been marked or cordoned off and had not previously been disclosed by officials; police first said they had been looking for it and later said they knew about it but could not comment. ADIF said investigators had located the part but did not say when it was found, and The Times could not confirm which train it came from or how it got there.

Experts said the discovery could provide a critical clue if the part 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 said a photograph appeared to show a set of wheels that could shed light on the cause, and transportation attorney Andrew Maloney said, "The location of where parts are found can be critically important in reconstructing the accident sequence." He added that parts found far from the tracks could indicate they caused a derailment, while parts found close by may have detached after it.

Key Topics

World, Adamuz Derailment, Adif, Iryo, Renfe, Ferrovie Dello Stato