A fracture in the rail appeared to have occurred before a ‍high-speed train derailed ‍in southern Spain last Sunday, rail accident investigating ⁠body CIAF said in a preliminary report published on Friday.

Sunday's ​deadly collision in Adamuz, Cordoba province, killed 45 in one of Europe's ‍worst train accidents. A first train belonging ⁠to private consortium Iryo derailed and smashed into another oncoming high-speed train from state-owned rail company ⁠Renfe.

"Based on ​the information ⁠available at this time, it can ‍be hypothesized that the rail fracture occurred ‌prior to the passage of the Iryo train involved in the ⁠accident ​and, therefore, prior ‍to the derailment," read the CIAF report, posted on ‍the body's website.