On the night of January 18th, a high-speed train in Spain derailed near Adamuz, in Córdoba province, killing at least 45 people.

At 7:45 Sunday night, a high speed train traveling from Malaga to Madrid carrying 289 passengers derailed into the path of another train. The second train took the brunt of the impact.  The trains slammed into each other, On Tuesday, the nation entered a three day period of mourning.

Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente told  Onda Cero radio that the crash was “extermely strange” adding that “all the railway experts are extremely surprised.” because the crash occurred on a flat stretch of track that had been recently renovated (Onde Cero Radio).

“I think we did all we could,” another Adamuz resident, who identified himself only as Antonio, told the El Pais newspaper. “The sad thing is we couldn’t do more.” (Jan. 20th, Mundi, Almodovar).

Recently, a gap in the track measuring nearly 15 inches has become the new focus for the investigation. According to BBC News The CIAF called its report a “working hypothesis”, adding that it “must be corroborated by later detailed calculations and analysis” (Khalil, Jan. 23rd).

The report stated that data seems to suggest that the track was already deformed outwards before the train passed over it, and the crack is a likely cause for the crash, but further investigation is required to confirm the definitive cause.

The accident is the worst since 2013, when a train derailed near Galicia which left 80 people dead and 140 injured.