Spain's king and queen attend memorial service for rail crash victims

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were greeted by bishops as they arrived at the funeral mass on TuesdayByGuy HedgecoeReporting fromReporting from MadridPublished28 minutes agoSpain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia were among those who have attended a memorial service in tribute to the 69 victims of last month's deadly train crash.The accident occurred when one train, travelling at high speed, ploughed into the back of another that was stationary on the Madrid-Seville line, near the small town of Urda, about 40 miles from Toledo.It was the worst rail tragedy in Spain since 2013. Twenty-eight people remain in hospital."The tragic accident in Urda has left our families, our towns and our society with a pain that is difficult to accept," Archbishop Cerro Chaves told those present.Representatives of those killed carried lit candles to the front of the cathedral and placed them next to the main altar. The first reading of the service was by Ana Benítez, sister of David Benítez, a 38-year-old father-of-two who died.The king and queen were met with applause by bystanders as they entered the cathedral and at the end of the service, after Catholic Mass, they spoke to relatives of the victims.Senior politicians also attended the service, including the leader of the opposition People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, Emiliano García-Page, and Transport and Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo. Cuerpo took on the transport portfolio following the resignation last week of Óscar Puente from the post.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The Archbishop of Toledo officiated the memorial servicePuente had come under mounting pressure following the crash, Spain's second major rail tragedy this year after 46 people died in a collision on the same high-speed line in January. Some local people from the town of Adamuz in Andalusia, where that accident happened, as well as residents of Urda, were present for the memorial service.The investigation into the recent accident is still in progress. Puente suggested that human error combined with a glitch in the safety system may have been the cause.The tragedy happened a month before the 29 November general election and is seen as likely to hurt Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's attempts to secure re-election.The ceremony took place on the same day as a nationwide strike by train drivers, who are demanding greater safety on the rail network. Rail services were also expected to be affected across the country on Wednesday due to a general strike, led by housing activists calling for urgent measures to control rental costs.Related topicsSpainEuropeMore on this storySpain's rail authorities face European fraud probe after Urda rail disasterPublished4 days agoSpain train disaster clouds Sánchez chances of re-electionPublished31 OctoberWatch: What leaked audio reveals about Spain train crashPublished29 October