The Andalusian Executive headed by Juanma Moreno intends to put back into operation the working group created after the train accident in Adamuz (Córdoba) last January. That body, which has already involved the appointment of a commissioner who "will get in touch with the victims," will now also handle attention to those affected by the incident recorded last week in Urda (Toledo), in which two trains on the Madrid–Seville high-speed line were involved and which has left 69 people dead.
Thus it was communicated by the Third Vice President and spokesperson for the Junta of Andalusia, Carolina España, at the appearance following the weekly meeting of the Council of Government. In her remarks, she emphasized that although the official period of mourning for the train accident in Urda has already ended, in Andalusia people continue to be "dismayed" by what happened and "waiting for developments regarding the injured."
The head of Economy, Treasury and European Funds also noted that this "tragedy" has "hit terribly" the community when the impact of the Adamuz incident had not yet been overcome, in which 46 people lost their lives.
In this context, she clarified that the commissioner appointed at the time to care for the victims of the Adamuz accident, Jaime Mora, "will also get in touch with the victims" of the Urda incident.
Carolina España also confirmed that the Junta is going to "resume" and "reactivate the aid and compensation that were put forward at the time for the victims and injured people of Adamuz," with the intention of extending that same framework now to those affected by the Urda accident.
In response to questions raised by the media, the spokesperson detailed that the departments of Presidency, Tourism and Justice, Economy, Employment and Development will participate in this working group. She also pointed out that "in principle the idea is to recover" for the victims of Urda the same level of aid as "was approved at the time for the dead and injured in the Adamuz accident."
"We are talking about a one-time payment of 14,424 euros for each fatal victim," the councillor specified, who recalled that, in addition, "different support categories were established" for the injured, with a maximum amount of 16,828 euros.
Tourism reinforcement and connections with Andalusia
Questioned about possible specific measures in tourism matters to mitigate the impact of the incident on the sector, Carolina España has highlighted that the second vice president and Minister of Tourism, Manuel Gavira, is participating this week in the World Travel Market fair in London, which he has described as “very important” for Andalusian tourism, stressing that “the British sector is fundamental”.
The minister has taken for granted that it will be necessary to address “as soon as possible” issues, in meetings with tourism representatives, “possible campaigns that are carried out to promote the Andalusian destination”, although she has insisted that “it is important that, on the part of the Government” central “communications are reinforced as well”.
Along these lines, the spokesperson for the Regional Government has emphasized that “there has to be more frequency” of flights to Andalusia, which has “six airports”, while also calling for airfares to be “capped” and for “a greater increase in road transport, because the campaigns are fine, but tourists have to reach the destination somehow”.
Carolina España has added that she “is aware that, from the Ministry of Public Works, some action has been taken with an airline” along the “line” of proposing route reinforcements with Andalusia in light of incidents in the rail connection with Madrid, and that “the Minister of Tourism was also making some arrangements”. She concluded by pointing out that an attempt will be made to take advantage of this working group to coordinate all these actions and that “arrangements are carried out in a single way”.