Newsroom
Families across several continents are mourning victims of Spain’s deadly train collision, with authorities confirming that at least 12 foreign nationals were among the 69 people killed near Urda in Toledo province.
Four Americans, a Frenchwoman, and a Canadian were among those who died in Wednesday’s crash. The other identified foreign victims were from Japan, Tunisia, Portugal, Mexico, the Czech Republic, and Argentina.
By Sunday evening, forensic teams and police had identified 66 victims, including 54 Spanish nationals. Three missing-person reports remained active, concerning two Australians and a Japanese national, according to authorities cited by AFP.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported that authorities were awaiting the arrival of relatives who wanted to complete identification procedures in person. Most victims had been identified through fingerprints, with DNA testing used in other cases.
The collision happened when a train operated by state-owned Renfe struck the rear of a stationary train belonging to private operator Iryo.
According to AFP, an automatic safety system failure had stopped trains along a section of track. A control center subsequently authorized the Renfe train to resume its journey while the Iryo train remained stopped.
The disaster has renewed scrutiny of rail safety in Spain. It was the country’s second deadly high-speed train collision this year, following a January crash in Andalusia that killed 46 people.
With 69 lives lost, the Urda collision ranks among Europe’s deadliest rail disasters this century. For families still awaiting formal identification, the wait for answers continues.
