Court experts flag new track faults near Adamuz crash site

Three court experts have flagged new track faults near the Adamuz crash site. Their letter to the judge is dated 28 October.

They are probing the crash of 18 January 2026, which killed 46 people. An Iryo train from Málaga came off the track. An Alvia bound for Huelva then hit it.

Three faults on renewed track

The new faults are at switches 631 and 632, at the north end of Adamuz station. Both were renewed under the same scheme as switch A645. That switch is tied to the crash inquiry.

Checks found at least three places where the track had moved out of shape. Two had reached action level IL. The third was at alert level AL.

IL is above the comfort limit and close to the safety limit, El Mundo said. It will often lead to a short-term speed cap. AL is less severe, but calls for checks and a planned fix.

The experts said the new faults look like those seen in October 2025. Those earlier signs were near the weld that later broke at the crash point.

Adif accepted the renewal work on 19 December 2025. That was about 30 days before the crash. The contract is still under its two-year warranty.

Repairs backed as records are sought

Adif has asked the court to let it tamp the affected track. Tamping restores the level and line of the rails. The work would cover switches 631 and 632 and a nearby branch track.

The experts raised no bar to the work. They said it is needed and will not harm the report they are preparing.

But they asked the judge to seek more files from Adif. They want track checks for both lines between kilometre points 321.098 and 315.974. Their main focus is on checks made during the job and before Adif accepted it.

They also want all files from the emergency rebuild after the crash. The experts said they have none of those records.

A third request covers the stone used under the track. Adif had supplied papers for lot 2, but the experts need lot 3 from the Hornachuelos base. They want the full file, quality plan and test results.

Since March, Adif must give the court 15 days’ notice of work on this section. It also needs the judge’s leave before it starts.

Andalusia’s president, Juanma Moreno, has called for a full track audit. He said the public needs clear proof that this key service is safe.

Sources: Diario de Sevilla, Canal Sur and El Mundo.