In brief
A Renfe high‑speed train struck a parked Iryo train near Urda in Toledo province, south of Madrid, killing 68 and injuring about 100 people. Two South Korean passengers were among those hurt, one sustaining minor injuries and the other being hospitalized. Spanish authorities are investigating the crash while the government declared three days of mourning.
A high‑speed train collision near the town of Urda in Toledo province, south of Madrid, killed at least 68 people and injured almost 100 passengers, including two South Korean nationals, according to reports from Yonhap and Al Jazeera.
The incident, which occurred on the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed line, involved a Renfe AVE train plowing into a stationary Iryo carriage, triggering the derailment of two carriages and sending them tumbling down an embankment. Sources say the Renfe train was travelling from Madrid to Seville when it struck the rear of the Iryo train that was stopped at the tracks, according to Al Jazeera and the Spanish transport ministry.
Among the injured were two South Korean passengers, one of whom sustained only minor injuries and was discharged after treatment, while the other remains hospitalized, according to the Korean foreign ministry. Yonhap reports that a total of 11 South Korean passengers were confirmed aboard the trains involved as of 6:40 a.m. Thursday.
Spanish authorities have declared three days of national mourning, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stating: "Spain is in mourning," he said from Urda.
"The whole of Spain is grieving. Lives have been shattered, families have been torn apart, the pain is immense."The statement was made at the crash site on Thursday, the day after the collision.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the crash may have been caused by a computer failure that allowed the following train to depart despite a red signal on the track, a decision he described as made under “inexplicable circumstances.” Puente noted that the control centre was supposed to intervene when the automatic safety system failed, but a Renfe train was cleared to move again without speed restrictions. The investigation is focusing on the actions of traffic controllers and the functionality of the automated safety system, per UPI and Reuters reports.
Emergency response units, numbering more than 300, have been working on the scene under floodlights. The Military Emergencies Unit and local police are conducting a search of the wreckage for survivors, while several hospitals in the vicinity are treating the injured. Rescuers remain hopeful of finding any survivors in the twisted rail corridor, according to Reuters.
Rail service between Madrid and Seville has been suspended, with Renfe announcing that service will only resume once the track has been repaired, a decision that will keep the high‑speed line out of operation at least until the end of the day, as reported by Reuters.
This collision is the second major fatal high‑speed train disaster in Spain this year, following a January crash that killed dozens. The twin incidents have prompted officials to call for stringent safety reviews and stronger regulations on the country’s high‑speed rail network, a concern echoed by the Confederación Sindical de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (CSIF), which has called for the resignation of Transport Minister Puente.
The tragedy has attracted condolences from foreign heads of state. The United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and two vice presidents sent messages to King Felipe VI, expressing sympathy for the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also offered condolences to King Felipe VI over the incident.
International media have noted that early figures on the death toll were provisional; Xinhua reported that the toll had risen to 74, though the Spanish investigative authority confirmed a preliminary count of 74 deaths while the number of injuries remained uncertain. The death toll has fluctuated as rescuers locate additional victims and hospitals confirm deaths, according to the Xinhua report.
Spanish investigators are continuing to interrogate the control centre recordings, with audio evidence suggesting that a train was cleared to depart while another train remained stalled on the same track. Spanish officials say they are working day and night to clarify the exact sequence of events and to reinforce safety protocols to prevent future tragedies.
