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High-Speed Trains Collide in Spain, At Least 30 Dead
· Confirmed
In Short: Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, killing at least 30 people and derailing two carriages.
At least 30 people were killed when two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, according to reports from Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia). The collision involved an AVE high-speed train operated by Spain’s state railway company Renfe and another operated by private rail company Iryo.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that the trains were traveling in the same direction when one struck the rear of the other, which was stationary. The collision occurred near Toledo, causing two carriages to derail.
According to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and France24 (France), Spain’s railway infrastructure operator, ADIF, suspended high-speed rail services between Madrid and the southern region of Andalusia following the crash. The Civil Guard sent a specialist disaster investigation team to the site.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that 397 passengers were on the Renfe train and 147 on the Iryo train. However, Lbc (United Kingdom) reported that at least 10 people were killed, although there are concerns that the true number of casualties could be much higher.
France24 (France) and Lbc (United Kingdom) reported that the crash occurred on Wednesday morning in the province of Toledo. The Spanish rail system operator ADIF said services on the Madrid–Andalusia high-speed route have been suspended following the rear-end collision.
Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, told Spanish public broadcaster TVE that the number of deaths would likely rise. She said, “We are expecting this to be a major tragedy.”
Jesús Jerónimo, 54, who was traveling in the second carriage of the Renfe high-speed train (AVE), described the moment the incident took place. He told El País: “People were thrown from the train. We thought we had derailed. Then, little by little, we got out and saw that our train was tilted. There were many injured people and a lot of people shaken up. I saw papers on the floor and a child who was fine.”
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called the incident a “tragic scourge” and expressed his solidarity with the victims and their families. He said, “My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families.”
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Spain’s high-speed rail network. Some passengers 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.”
What this adds
The death toll reported by different outlets varies, with some reporting at least 30 deaths and others suggesting it could be as high as 46. The exact number of casualties remains unclear.
Background
Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, killing at least 10 people and derailing two cars.
To capture this process, researchers used high-speed videography to film the stinger as it pumped venom into a transparent gel designed to mimic human skin.
What's confirmed
- A high-speed train has crashed into the rear of another train that had stopped in central Spain, derailing two carriages and killing at least 30 people, the regional government said.
- Padilla said 397 passengers were on the Renfe train and 147 on the Iryo train.
- Spain’s railway infrastructure operator, ADIF, suspended high-speed rail services between Madrid and the southern region of Andalusia, while the Civil Guard sent a specialist disaster investigation team to the site, El Pais reported.
- “Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo. My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families,” Sanchez said.
- The collision involved an AVE high-speed train operated by Spain’s state railway company Renfe, travelling from Madrid to Seville, and another operated by private rail company Iryo.
- Spain’s rail system operator ADIF said the crash occurred Wednesday morning in the province of Toledo.
- "The information we are receiving is not good at all," a spokeswoman for the government of the Castilla-La Mancha region told local media.
- Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called it a “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity” ( 12:51 ) and blamed on misleading narratives spread by human traffickers ( 12:54, 13:17 ).
What's still developing
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