At Least 30 Dead After Two High-Speed Trains Collide in Central Spain
A moving train struck a stationary one near Toledo, causing two cars to derail. This is the second deadly rail crash in Spain this year.
By Malik Salazar ·
At least 30 people died on Wednesday when two high-speed trains collided in central Spain. The Castilla-La Mancha regional press office confirmed the death toll to NBC News. Authorities described the incident as the second fatal railway accident in the country this year.
The crash occurred just after 9:00 a.m. local time in the province of Toledo. ADIF, the state body that manages Spain’s rail infrastructure, issued a notice on the social media platform X regarding the location of the incident.
Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha region, told the public broadcaster TVE that both trains were traveling in the same direction from Madrid to Sevilla. One train struck the rear of the other, which was stopped on the track. Two cars of the stationary train derailed as a result. Officials said the cause of the accident remains unknown.
The two trains were operated by different companies. The state-owned Renfe train carried approximately 397 people, while the private operator Iryo train had 147 passengers on board.
Miguel, a passenger in the last car of one of the trains, described the moment of impact to the Spanish radio station COPE. He reported hearing a huge crash and a heavy blow that lasted about 10 seconds. Through the right window, he saw a destroyed train and believed it was the other vehicle.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was deeply disturbed by the event. He stated that emergency services are working at the scene to care for the affected people and ensure their safety. He added that he is in constant contact with the Transport Minister and the regional president of Castilla-La Mancha.
Manuel Galán, the mayor of the nearby town of Urda, told TVE that emergency services asked him to prepare a sports hall to receive the injured. Renfe set up an emergency phone line for the families of the victims. Iryo, an Italian-capital company, said in a statement that it activated its safety protocols and is cooperating with authorities.
This collision occurred 10 months after another deadly crash between the same two operators on the Madrid-Sevilla line. In January, a derailed train struck another moving in the opposite direction, killing 45 people. That incident was the worst in Spain since 2013, when 80 people died. The European Union notes that Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, with more than 3,000 kilometers of track for trains traveling at speeds over 250 km/h.
