[3] However, the international service was running with a shorter delay than expected; wrongly considering that the line was open to Mangualde station, it also moved on.

[5] The alert was given by military personnel of the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Republican Guard), who were operating on EN234, near the crash site.

Although the rescue services arrived only a few minutes after the accident, the situation there was chaotic, with fires on the trains and forest around, many people hurt, and several passengers in panic.

[3][6] Most of the remains that were not identified were buried in a common trench near the crash site, which was converted to a memorial remembering the victims and the rescue teams.

[7] In addition, the installation of ground-radio systems allowed a direct communication between drivers and control stations, and the use of materials that ease the propagation of flames was forbidden on trains.