MADRID - Spanish authorities have confirmed that a Japanese national was among the 69 people killed in a collision between two high-speed trains in central Spain on October 28, while Japanese officials are continuing efforts to establish the identities of victims following the disaster, which also left about 200 people injured.
The collision occurred in Ulda, central Spain, on October 28, involving two high-speed passenger trains. The accident has claimed 69 lives, with around 200 people injured, making it one of the country's deadliest railway disasters.
Authorities had previously established that the names of two Japanese nationals appeared on the passenger lists of the trains involved in the collision. Spanish officials announced on November 1 that one Japanese national had been confirmed among the dead.
Of the 69 fatalities, three victims remained unidentified, although local authorities said they expected to complete the identification process within the next several hours.
A senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official confirmed that the Spanish government had contacted Japan to report that one Japanese national was among the victims.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, speaking at a morning press conference, said a statement released by the Spanish government indicated that one Japanese national was believed to be among the foreign victims whose identities had not yet been formally established.
"The Spanish government's announcement indicates that one Japanese national is believed to be among the unidentified foreign victims," Kihara said.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has dispatched embassy personnel to the scene and is working with Spanish authorities to verify the victim's identity.
Japanese officials are continuing to gather information about the Japanese nationals listed as passengers, with the circumstances surrounding the second Japanese passenger yet to be clarified.
Source: TBS
