Catalan Parliament and railway workers pay tribute to victims of Toledo train crash

The Catalan Parliament and railway workers in Barcelona held separate tributes on Thursday to the victims of Wednesday's train crash in Toledo, which has left at least 69 people dead and more than 100 injured.

At noon, the president of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, members of the parliamentary bureau and spokespersons for the parliamentary groups observed a minute's silence outside the Parliament building.

Representatives of all political parties attended except the two MPs from far-right pro-independence Aliança Catalana.

Meanwhile, more than 100 railway workers gathered at Barcelona's Sants station shortly before noon to observe five minutes of silence in memory of those killed in the crash.

The tribute was attended by Renfe train drivers, who were on strike on Thursday to demand greater railway safety, and employees of Iryo, one of the operators involved in the accident.

Also present were Òscar Playà, director of Rodalies de Catalunya, and trade union representatives, including Francisco Cárdenas, UGT's representative at Renfe in Catalonia. The gathering ended with prolonged applause.

Cárdenas urged caution over attempts to assign responsibility for the crash before the investigation is complete.

He stressed that the priority should be preventing another tragedy, regardless of political affiliations.

Cárdenas also clarified that UGT was not supporting Thursday's drivers' strike, arguing instead for talks involving the Spanish Transport Ministry, regional governments and Renfe to address railway safety.

Union criticises leak of recordings

In Madrid, Diego Martín, secretary-general of Semaf, Spain’s train drivers' union, criticised the leak of recordings from the Atocha control centre, calling for a rigorous, independent investigation into the crash.

Speaking after a minute's silence at Atocha station, he also criticised the continued use of the LZB signalling system, which he said should have been replaced long ago, and announced plans for further strikes to demand improved railway safety.