Spanish Ministry of Transport: Train derailment accident "extremely unusual"

On the evening of the 18th local time, a high-speed train derailment and collision accident occurred in Cordoba Province, Spain. The accident has resulted in at least 21 deaths and over a hundred people injured. Spanish Minister of Transport, Oscar Puente, stated that this accident was "extremely unusual" as it occurred on a straight section of track and the relevant railway facilities had been recently updated. He mentioned that the government has initiated an accident investigation process and believes the investigation will uncover the cause of the accident. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has cancelled his original plans and is closely monitoring the accident response and investigation progress. Currently, the cause of the accident is still under further investigation.