Spanish royals join grieving families at state funeral for 69 killed in train crash disaster

Members of Spain's royal family joined grieving relatives on Tuesday for a state funeral commemorating the 69 victims of a fatal high-speed train crash last month. Held nearly a fortnight after the disaster, the memorial took place inside the towering 13th-century Toledo Cathedral in central Spain.The fatal incident occurred on 28 October near Urda, roughly 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of Madrid, when a high-speed service struck a stationary train along the Madrid-Seville route. Marking the second deadly crash on the nation’s widely praised high-speed network this year, the event has damaged public confidence in a transit infrastructure long considered one of Spain’s principal accomplishments.Mounting political strain prompted Transport Minister Óscar Puente to resign last week, with Luis Pedro Marco, head of the national railway infrastructure operator, stepping down shortly afterwards. The political fallout comes ahead of a general election on 29 November, where progressive prime minister Pedro Sánchez is seeking reelection. Sánchez was absent from Tuesday's memorial.The funeral was attended by members of the royal family (AFP/Getty)For the service, a 16th-century sculpture of Christ was brought to Toledo Cathedral from Urda, whose local residents set 69 candles beside the altar to honour those who died. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia sat alongside the bereaved families.Sánchez has promised a full inquiry and safety enhancements to regain faith in a network that handled 45 million travellers last year, among them millions of tourists. Meanwhile, the European Union's independent prosecutor confirmed last week that an investigation is underway into alleged fraud involving European funds earmarked for safety renovations on the specific line where both of this year's fatal accidents occurred.Rail travel in Spain was disrupted on Tuesday due to a train drivers' strike. Further travel disruption and wider economic impacts are expected on Wednesday during a general strike set to affect public transit and shutter or slow businesses, factories and shops across the country.