• A preliminary investigation indicates a rail fracture occurred before a train derailment in Spain.
• The incident resulted in 45 fatalities and is considered one of Europe's deadliest train accidents in recent years.
• Notches found on the wheels of multiple trains suggest the track was compromised before the crash.

A preliminary report from the CIAF rail accident investigation committee suggests that a fracture in a section of track likely occurred prior to a high-speed train derailment in southern Spain, which resulted in 45 deaths. The accident involved a train operated by the private company Iryo, which derailed and collided with another train from state-run Renfe, leading to widespread devastation and raising serious safety concerns about Spain's high-speed rail network, the second largest in the world, according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.

The CIAF's report details that grooves were detected on the Iryo train's wheels and other trains that had traveled the same route before the incident. The notches found on the wheels are described as "compatible with the fact that the track was cracked," implying serious structural integrity issues. Additionally, a significant 40cm gap in the track has become a focal point in the ongoing investigation, highlighting potential oversight in track maintenance despite recent renovations, according to Le Monde and BBC.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente has reiterated that human error has been ruled out, as both trains were reportedly operating within speed limits. Investigators have confirmed that they will continue analyzing evidence at the scene to establish a definitive cause of the derailment, stating that "this hypothesis must be corroborated by later detailed calculations and analysis," according to Le Monde and Reuters.