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At least 30 people were killed and 80 injured when two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, with authorities warning that the casualty figures could rise.
The collision happened near Urda in Toledo province, on the route between Madrid and Seville. Regional officials said both trains were traveling in the same direction when one struck the rear of the other, which had stopped.
The services, operated by state-owned Renfe and private company Iryo, were carrying a combined 544 passengers.
Emergency crews were sent to the scene, and the regional government activated its emergency response plan at 9:15 a.m. Firefighters, police and medical teams were deployed, with a treatment area set up near the tracks to assess injured passengers and arrange hospital transfers. Psychological support teams were also alerted.
Safety system under scrutiny
The cause has not been established, but early reports have focused on a failure in the line’s main train protection system and decisions made after services switched to a backup system.
Spanish newspaper El País, citing government sources, reported that an initial assessment pointed to a possible error at the railway control center, where the Renfe train may have been allowed to proceed while the Iryo service remained stationary ahead.
Those findings are preliminary, and the investigation is continuing.
Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE reported that the backup system relies more heavily on drivers observing signals beside the tracks and does not provide the same continuous monitoring of speed and distance between trains as the main system.
Rail services suspended
High-speed services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia were suspended following the crash. Renfe said passengers on affected services could change or cancel their tickets without charge.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed shock and said authorities were coordinating their response. Both the government and the main opposition canceled their scheduled activities for the day.
The crash comes months after another deadly rail disaster in Adamuz, in Córdoba province, putting Spain’s high-speed railway safety back under scrutiny.
*Source: The Guardian, El Pais, RTVE
