The Congress of Deputies has given the green light for the appointment of José Antonio Pañero Huerga as a counselor in the new commission for investigating maritime, rail, and aviation accidents. This position was vacant after the parliamentary veto of the previous candidate proposed by the Executive, Adolfo Moreno, due to his involvement in the Angrois rail accident investigation.
The new unified body, which will assume the responsibilities of the CIAIM, CIAIC, and CIAF, aims to optimize resources, standardize procedures, and improve coordination in investigating accidents across different transport modes. The establishment of this commission aligns with European Union recommendations on transport safety and seeks to set common investigation standards to determine causes and prevent future accidents, without assigning criminal or administrative responsibilities.
The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, confirmed that the new body's constitution will be presented to the Council of Ministers on July 7th, once all counselors and the president have passed the vetting process.
“"We more or less have a clear idea of what happened in Adamuz, but it needs to be proven before we can make recommendations. Sometimes the truth can be uncomfortable, but the ultimate goal is to improve safety. That is our function: to technically investigate and understand what happened so it doesn't happen again."
The current president of the CIAF, Ignacio Barrón, will not be the one to sign the final report of the Adamuz accident, which claimed the lives of 46 people. He recently acknowledged that important laboratory analyses are still pending to complete the report. The investigation into the Adamuz accident is expected to continue, requiring further evidence to recommend safety measures.
The veto against Adolfo Moreno stemmed from his role in the investigation of the 2013 Angrois accident, which resulted in a significant number of fatalities. Moreno was part of Renfe's safety team and later the CIAF, drawing criticism, including from the European Union Agency for Railways. The platform representing victims of the Angrois Alvia accident also voiced objections, leading PP, Vox, Junts, and BNG to veto his candidacy.
The vacant counselor position has been filled by the proposal of José Antonio Pañero Huerga, a civil engineer and law graduate. Pañero Huerga brings over twenty years of professional experience in the transport sector, particularly in railways, and has served as a coordinating investigator at the CIAF for the past six years.
