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EU prosecutor searches Spanish rail bodies in fraud probe

Reuters

BRUSSELS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The ‌European Public Prosecutor's Office said on Friday it had carried ​out investigations ‌at the headquarters of Spain's railway ‌infrastructure manager, its railway safety agency and its court of auditors in a ‌probe into possible fraud in the financing of the Madrid-Seville high-speed line.

There have been two deadly accidents on the line this year.

• ⁠The prosecutor's office said in a ‌statement it is investigating ⁠possible fraud involving EU funds allocated to ​the renovation and upgrading of the line's safety, signalling and communications systems

• ​The prosecutor's office conducted searches at ​infrastructure ‌operator Adif, railway safety agency AESF and Spain's ​Court of Auditors

• Adif confirmed ⁠staff from the prosecutor's office ‌went to ​its headquarters and said ​it supplied all the information requested

• AESF and the court of auditors did not immediately respond to requests for comment

• ‌An accident on the Madrid-Seville line in January killed 46 people, while a ‌collision ​in October killed 69

• The EU prosecutor's office opened a separate investigation in March following the first accident

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and ‌Emma Pinedo; Editing by Sharon Singleton)