Main points
- Dozens of people have died after a crash between two high-speed trains in Toledo in Spain
- A Renfe and an Iryo train crashed just after 9am (8am Irish time), causing two Iryo wagons to derail, a government spokesperson for the Castilla La Mancha region said
- Rail operator Adif said a “rear-end collision” between the two trains had occurred between the towns of Mora and Orgaz, and involved a Renfe and an Iryo high-speed train travelling from Madrid to Seville
Death toll reaches 64
The Castilla La Mancha regional government said 64 people have died following the train collision. - Reuters
This makes it a deadlier incident than this January’s Adamuz crash and the third worst train disaster in Spain since the seventies.
The death toll is still likely to change.
EU ‘ready to support’ Spanish investigation into train crash
The European Commission has offered to help with the investigation into Wednesday’s train crash in Urda.
EU chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said: “Our thoughts and our feelings are with the victims, their families and friends, and all those affected, and the commission, together with the European Union Agency for Railways, is closely following the situation, and we stand ready to support the Spanish authorities in any way that may be needed.”
But she noted it was “too early, absolutely too early, to draw any conclusions” as the emergency response continues.
Phone line set up for victims and their families
In a statement posted on X, railway company Renfe said: “We wish to convey our deepest condolences to the family members and loved ones of the victims of the train accident in Urda (Toledo).
“We also wish a speedy recovery to all those who have been injured.
“At this time, our priority is to assess the extent of the damage and to remain permanently available to those affected, the authorities, and the emergency services.”
Renfe has set up the phone line as part of the assistance plan for victims of railway accidents and their families.
“Train traffic is interrupted between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalucía. Free changes and cancellations enabled for all affected trains.”
Copa del Rey fixtures postponed
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has postponed Wednesday’s 24 Copa del Rey first-round matches.
The games have been postponed “as a show of respect and solidarity with all the victims”, the RFEF said, adding that new dates for the matches will be announced soon. - Reuters
Spanish royal family ‘moved and concerned’ after trains collide
In a post on X, the Spanish royal family said they are “moved and concerned by the train accident in Urda (Toledo)”.
“We share in the sorrow of the families and loved ones of the deceased and send our affection to the injured and those affected.
“Our support also goes to the emergency teams and all those working in the area to help as much as possible under these circumstances.”
‘Urgent call’ for blood from Madrid’s Blood Transfusion Centre
The Community of Madrid’s Blood Transfusion Centre has made an “urgent call” for blood donations after two high-speed trains collided.
The centre, in particular, is looking for blood groups A+, A-, O+, O- and B- and call on people to visit their nearest donation point.
544 passengers on board both trains, including a baby
The affected trains are understood to be Iryo 7076 with 146 passengers plus one baby on board and AVE 2080 with 397 passengers on board, making it 544 people in total on board of both trains.
Early inquiries point to a possible signalling failure that contributed to the crash, Spanish media reported.
Reports Iryo train flagged failure in signalling system before crash
El Mundo reports that the Iryo train flagged a failure in its LZB signalling system shortly before the crash, but the train behind did not receive the information.
Investigators believe the AVE high-speed train travelling behind crashed into the stationary Iryo service, according to the newspaper. - Guardian
Rail service suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
‘We are expecting this to be a tragedy,’ says health minister
Spanish health minister Monica Garcia told state broadcaster TVE that emergency workers were focusing on rescuing survivors and bodies from the two most damaged train cars.
She said that the injured were being sent to different hospitals in the area.
“It was a high-speed impact, so we are expecting this to be a tragedy,” Garcia said.
At least 39 people dead and 80 injured in train collision
Emiliano García-Page, the president of Castilla-La Mancha region, confirmed the latest figure of 39 dead.
He said authorities expect this number to rise further as emergency services are yet to reach the most affected parts of the wreckage.
He also said some 80 people were injured, with 30 people with minor injuries and 50 with moderate and more serious injuries of varying severity.
He thanked all emergency services for their help. - Guardian
Spanish king expresses ‘deep regret’ over ‘horrific incident’
Spanish king Felipe said he wanted to “express my deep regret over this horrific incident”, acknowledging “a high number of fatalities and many injuries”.
“My primary concern is to express my sorrow over this terrible tragedy and to convey our condolences, sadness, support, and affection to the families during such an incredibly difficult and painful time.”
He also thanked emergency services responding to the incident for their help. - Guardian
Sports hall to be prepared to accommodate injured
Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha region, told the state broadcaster TVE that the collision was between two high-speed trains carrying hundreds of passengers and heading in the same direction from the capital, Madrid, to Seville in the south-west.
One ran into the rear of the other, which had stopped, knocking two of its carriages off the track, she said, adding that the cause of the crash was not yet known.
Manuel Galán, the mayor of Urda near the city of Toledo, said he had been asked by emergency services to prepare a sports hall to accommodate the injured. - Guardian
Army’s emergency task force to be deployed to scene
The Spanish government is deploying the army’s emergency task force, a special unit, to the scene.
Prime minister Pedro Sánchez and several ministers canceled their appointments for the day, as did the opposition leader. - Bloomberg
‘We heard a massive roar,’ said passengers onboard
Miguel, a passenger travelling with several colleagues in the rear car of one of the trains, described to COPE radio the moment of the accident.
“We heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail. Through the right-hand window, we could see a wrecked train – I imagine it must have been the other one.”
His comments were relayed by Reuters.
Another passenger on one of the trains reported that their Renfe AVE train came to a brief stop and was held up for a few minutes shortly before the crash, with the explanation given being “heavy traffic in the area.”
After it moved off again, it collided at speed with the other train, causing a “violent impact” on the passengers.
Talking to RTVE, Fernando Seco said passengers in his carriage – at the back of the train – were able to get out of the train and down the embankment, when they realised the scale of the disaster and damage to front carriages. He said there had been no sign that anything was wrong with the train beforehand.
Official death toll climbs to 30 - but local media report as many as 46 may be dead
A total of 30 deaths have been confirmed so far from the high-speed train crash near Toledo, Spain on Wednesday, the Castilla-La Mancha regional government said, as emergency crews carried out rescue and recovery operations at the scene.
Local media in Spain are reporting that as many as 46 may be dead, based on estimates provided by local government, and dozens more injured. These figures have not yet been confirmed.
The accident occurred on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line near Urda, where a Renfe AVE train and an Iryo train collided, prompting a major emergency response involving local, regional and national authorities.
Latest grim chapter in Spanish train crashes
The incident comes less than a year after a similar crash in Adamuz, the province of Córdoba, which killed 46 and injured 152 in January.
A few days later, a driver was killed and 37 people injured when a train was derailed by the collapse of a retaining wall near Gelida in Catalonia.
Following the Adamuz train crash, Spain’s largest train drivers’ union called for a three-day nationwide strike as it demanded more thorough safety checks and “the restoration of safety standards on the railway system.”
Guy Hedgecoe, our contributor based in Madrid, reported at the time that the train network, in particular its high-speed lines, had suffered from lack of investment in maintenance.
More than 500 passengers were travelling on both trains
Local media in Spain report that the both trains were carrying more than 500 passengers.
One of the trains, a Renfe AVE train, was reportedly carrying 397 passengers, while the Iryo train was understood to be carrying more than 140 passengers at the time of the crash.
Carriages overturned at scene of crash
The first pictures have arrived from the scene of the train crash.
They appear to show at least three carriages from one of the trains overturned after rolling down a bank, while other carriages appear to be slanted to one side.
Two train carriages rolled down embankment after crash
Witnesses have told Spanish newspaper El Pais that there emergency medical teams have arrived at the scene.
Its report also says two train carriages have left the tracks and fallen down an embankment.
The accident happened shortly after 9am local time (8am Irish time) between the towns of Los Yebenes and Urda, in the province of Toledo, according to El Pais.
Spanish PM, opposition leader ‘shocked’ by train crash in Toledo
The Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez has responded to the crash on X:
“Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo. I remain in constant contact with the Minister of Transport, @oscar_puente_, and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha, @garciapage.
Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations. My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families.”
