Spain's Rail Safety Crisis: A Week of Train Tragedies

In southeastern Spain, a commuter train collided with a crane arm, marking the country's fourth rail accident in a week. This recent incident injured six people near Cartagena, while previous accidents involved fatalities and a nationwide strike called by the main train drivers' union over safety standards.

A commuter train collided with a crane arm in southeastern Spain, marking the nation's fourth rail accident within a week, Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed. The crash, occurring near Cartagena, resulted in six minor injuries as the crane's arm struck the train's windows.

This incident follows a deadly high-speed train crash in the Andalusia region that claimed 43 lives and two accidents in the Catalonia region, including a train derailment caused by a containment wall collapse due to heavy rain, killing the driver and injuring four.

The recent accidents have heightened tensions, prompting the main train drivers' union to call for a nationwide strike over current safety standards. Officials confirmed negative alcohol tests for both the train driver and crane operator involved in Thursday's accident.