At least 30 people have died after two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid on Wednesday morning, with authorities warning the death toll could rise further as rescue operations continue.
A Renfe AVE train and an Iryo service crashed near Urda in Toledo province, about 140 km south of Madrid, shortly after 09:00. More than 500 passengers were travelling on the two trains when they collided on the busy Madrid-Seville route.
At least two carriages derailed and plunged down an embankment. Emergency services have evacuated all injured passengers from the wreckage, with authorities now focusing on recovering bodies from the twisted metal.
More than 179 people have been injured in the collision, according to regional emergency services. Hospitals across Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid have freed up intensive care beds and operating theatres to treat the wounded.
The cause of the collision remains unclear. Early reports suggest one train may have struck the rear of a stationary train, but officials have not yet confirmed this.
Massive rescue operation
Castilla-La Mancha activated its regional emergency plan minutes after the crash, deploying firefighters, Guardia Civil officers, medical helicopters and ambulances to the scene.
The Military Emergency Unit joined the rescue operation after regional president Emiliano García-Page requested additional support. Madrid sent eight fire service units and 16 ambulances, while Andalucía dispatched mobile intensive care units.
Emergency crews set up a forward medical post at the crash site for triage and initial treatment. The Urda sports pavilion has been designated as a reception centre for affected passengers and their families.
Political fallout
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was “shocked” by the accident and sent his “affection, solidarity and support” to victims and their families.
He cancelled his participation in a summit on obesity in Madrid and suspended all Socialist party campaign activities ahead of the 29 November general election.
The crash comes just three months after another collision between two high-speed trains near Adamuz in southern Spain killed 46 people in January. That disaster raised serious questions about safety on Spain’s railway network.
Both accidents occurred on the Madrid-Seville line, one of the country’s busiest routes and Spain’s first high-speed rail line when it opened in 1992.
Spain operates the world’s second-largest high-speed rail network after China, which has been a source of national pride. The latest disaster will intensify scrutiny of railway safety just weeks before voters head to the polls.
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