Ten dead after trains collide on Madrid-Andalusia line
A crash near Toledo halted the high-speed corridor between the capital and the south, with officials warning the casualty count is expected to climb.
By Julian Schulz ·
Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, killing at least ten people. Esther Padilla, the spokeswoman for the Castilla La Mancha region, told reporters that the death toll would surely increase. The incident occurred between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in Toledo province, just after 9 a.m. local time.
The crash involved a Renfe train and an Iryo train traveling from Madrid to Seville. According to the state railway infrastructure manager, ADIF, the impact caused two Iryo carriages to leave the tracks. A government spokesperson for the region confirmed to Reuters that investigators are still determining the exact cause of the accident and the total number of people injured.
This collision is the latest in a short series of major rail disasters in the country. In January, a train derailed in southern Spain and struck an oncoming vehicle, killing 45 people. That event was the deadliest in Spain since a 2013 crash that claimed 80 lives. Spain operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe for trains traveling at speeds above 155 mph, with more than 1,900 miles of track.
ADIF suspended service on the line connecting Madrid and the Andalusia region following the crash. Manuel Galan, the mayor of the nearby town of Urda, said emergency services asked him to prepare a local sports hall to house the injured. He spoke to Spanish state broadcaster TVE about the coordination efforts in the immediate aftermath of the collision.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reacted to the news with a post on X. He described himself as deeply saddened by the serious accident in Toledo. Sanchez wrote that emergency teams were working on-site to assist affected individuals and ensure their safety in coordination with relevant authorities. He extended his sympathy and support to the victims and their families.
The Madrid to Seville corridor remains closed as officials assess the damage and manage the recovery operation. The next step involves a full investigation into the mechanical and human factors that led to the collision. For now, the focus remains on treating the injured and accounting for all passengers on board.
Source: WCAU
