At least 64 people have died after two high-speed passenger trains collided near Urda, in Spain’s Toledo province, on Wednesday, 28 October. At least 80 people were reported injured as emergency teams searched the wreckage, according to the Associated Press, citing national and regional authorities. The casualty figures remain provisional.
The accident occurred at approximately 08:54 local time at kilometre 118 of the Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line. Infrastructure manager Adif confirmed a rear-end collision involving Renfe AVE train 2080 and Iryo train 6076 serving the Madrid–Seville route.
Initial accounts indicate that the Renfe AVE struck an Iryo train that was stationary, causing two of the latter’s carriages to derail. Regional authorities said 544 passengers were travelling aboard the two services: 397 on the Renfe train and 147 on the Iryo service, including an infant.
Major rescue operation
Castilla-La Mancha activated its regional emergency plan at 09:15 and raised the response level at 10:30 after requesting assistance from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit. Firefighters, Civil Guard officers, Civil Protection volunteers and medical teams were deployed, supported by medical helicopters and mobile intensive-care units.
Cause remains unconfirmed
Adif said it was examining its systems and the sequence of events to establish what happened. No cause had been identified in its initial account to Spanish news agency EFE.
El País reported preliminary indications of a signalling-system problem followed by an error during manual traffic management, citing government sources. These accounts remain subject to investigation and do not constitute an established finding of responsibility. The trains’ speeds at impact have not been confirmed. EL PAÍS English
Madrid–Andalusia services suspended
High-speed services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia were suspended following the collision. Adif established assistance points at Madrid Atocha, Seville Santa Justa, Córdoba and Málaga María Zambrano stations.
Renfe announced free changes and cancellations for affected journeys. No confirmed reopening time was available in the reports reviewed, leaving passengers facing substantial disruption while rescue and investigation work continued.
Sources: apnews.com, Adif, EL PAÍS English, Protección Ciudadana, efe.com, EuroNews