Spain’s travel network descended into chaos on Monday after thieves stole 150m of copper wire.
The signalling cable was ripped from routes within a 10km-radius of Toledo, in what has been branded ‘sabotage’ by government ministers.
The act caused widespread disruption on high-speed AVE lines connecting Madrid with key cities in the south, including Sevilla and Malaga.
Pictures taken by the Spanish Eye show hundreds of people gathered at Sevilla’s Santa Justa station on Monday.
‘It’s absolute carnage,’ one passenger told this paper, ‘I was supposed to leave at 11.15am and now it is saying at least 3.15pm, people are starting to lose their minds a bit.’
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Thousands of passengers were affected by the cable robbery, which have raised serious question’s about the security of the country’s infrastructure.
It comes exactly one week after the country was plunged into darkness by an unprecedented nationwide blackout.
The wiring was stolen from four locations on Sunday night, with the consequential chaos lasting throughout Monday.
It left nine stations practically paralysed, with many having to sleep in travel hubs overnight on Sunday.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente blasted the incident as ‘serious sabotage,’ emphasizing that the theft appeared strategically executed to maximize disruption rather than for financial gain.
Renfe President Alvaro Fernandez Heredia echoed this sentiment, noting the coordinated nature of the thefts in both directions of the high-speed line.
Many travellers were forced to remain onboard immobilised trains overnight.
Renfe and infrastructure company Adif managed to restore operations by Monday morning, however the knock-on effects continued until late afternoon.
As investigations into the sabotage has been launched and continues, while regional and local authorities have been urged to enhance security measures to protect critical infrastructure.
Passengers affected by delays and cancellations are reminded of their rights to reimbursement or alternative transport options, as outlined by the European Consumer Centre in Spain.
