Train collision in Toledo kills 64

At least 64 people died on Wednesday when a high-speed train struck the rear of another train that had stopped in central Spain. Authorities in the Castilla-La Mancha region confirmed the death toll as rescue workers searched the wreckage for survivors and bodies.

The crash occurred in the province of Toledo, between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes. Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the regional government, said both trains were heading in the same direction from Madrid toward Seville. The impact knocked two cars of the stopped train off the tracks.

The accident involved a train from the state-owned operator RENFE and a train from the private company IRYO. Regional president Emiliano García-Page stated that 24 people died in the RENFE train and six in the IRYO train. He also reported at least 80 injuries. Padilla said 397 passengers were aboard the RENFE train and 147 were on the IRYO service.

Passenger Ignacio Relaño, who was riding the RENFE train, told state broadcaster TVE that the train slowed abruptly before the impact. He described the car leaning to one side and luggage flying through the air. Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said emergency teams focused on the two most damaged cars. Injured passengers are being transported to various hospitals in the area.

Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia following the crash. A military emergency brigade joined local firefighters and police at the scene. The mayor of Urda, Manuel Galán, said civil protection officials asked his town hall to prepare a sports pavilion to treat injured passengers. Ambulances and medical helicopters transported victims from the flat stretch of track surrounded by olive fields.

This is the second major train accident in Spain this year. In January, a collision involving one IRYO and one RENFE train killed 46 people in southern Spain. That incident was the deadliest in the country since a 2013 crash that left 80 people dead. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez canceled his schedule to focus on the response. He posted on X that he was dismayed by the accident and that his thoughts were with the victims.

Spain has built 3,900 kilometers of high-speed track over three decades, making it a global leader in the sector. The network recently opened to private competition, with IRYO entering the market in 2022. Joan Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the train workers' union, told TVE that increased traffic from privatization has strained the infrastructure. He said the liberalization of the service was not matched by necessary line upkeep.

The King and Queen of Spain issued a statement on X expressing their sadness over the accident in Urda. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also posted on X, saying Europe mourns with the victims' families. The Spanish soccer federation postponed all 24 Copa del Rey games scheduled for Wednesday.