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Spain Mourns After High-Speed Train Collision
Confirmed
In Short: The collision occurred shortly after 9:00 a.m.
At least 68 people died and over 100 were injured when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, a town in the province of Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday morning, according to reports from Catholic Courier and OSV News.
The collision occurred shortly after 9:00 a.m. on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line, with one of the trains reportedly traveling over 100 kilometers per hour, as reported by Cruxnow.
The trains involved were the Iryo and Renfe trains, carrying 147 and 397 passengers respectively, according to regional spokesperson Esther Padilla, quoted by RTE.ie.
The death toll surpassed that of the January accident near Adamuz, which claimed 45 lives, as noted by Ewtnnews and OSV News.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning, stating, “Today all of Spain is grieving,” as reported by NPR.
The Spanish bishops’ conference expressed condolences and closeness to the victims, asking for prayers for the deceased and injured, as reported by Catholic Courier and OSV News.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a computer malfunction disabled a safety system at around 8:30 a.m., bringing trains to a halt along a 63-kilometer stretch, as reported by DW.
A passenger on one of the trains described hearing a massive roar and a thud that lasted for 10 seconds, as reported by Newser.
The national soccer federation postponed all 24 Copa del Rey games scheduled for Wednesday in solidarity with the victims, as reported by Eagletribune.
The crash occurred on the Madrid-Seville line in the province of Toledo, with the trains carrying a total of 544 people, as reported by Catholic Courier and OSV News.
The Spanish Football Federation has postponed Wednesday’s Copa del Rey first-round matches following the deadly train crash in Toledo province earlier in the day, as reported by En and Ng.
The archbishop of Toledo and primate of Spain, Francisco Cerro, expressed profound concern and closeness to all those affected, assuring that prayers are being offered for the injured and those in distress, as reported by Ewtnnews.
What this adds
The facts confirm that at least 68 people died and over 100 were injured, with the death toll expected to rise. The collision occurred on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line, with one train traveling over 100 kilometers per hour. The trains involved were the Iryo and Renfe trains, carrying 147 and 397 passengers respectively. The Spanish bishops’ conference expressed condolences and closeness to the victims, asking for prayers for the deceased and injured. The national soccer federation postponed all 24 Copa del Rey games scheduled for Wednesday in solidarity with the victims.
Background
At least 68 people died and over 100 were injured when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, a town in the province of Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday morning.
Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, killing at least 30 people and derailing two carriages.
What's confirmed
- As of the early afternoon hours (EDT) of Oct. 28, 68 deaths have been reported, with hundreds injured, and the death toll expected to rise.
- The two trains that collided in the proximity of the old Spanish capital were carrying a total of 544 people on board and.
- In January when two high speed trains collided near Adamuz, more than 40 people died, and Spain was devastated to see another tragic accident days later when a train derailed near Barcelona.
- At least 68 people were killed after a high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks in central Spain on Wednesday morning, regional authorities said.
- The Spanish Football Federation has postponed Wednesday’s Copa del Rey first-round matches following a deadly train crash in Toledo province earlier in the day that has left dozens of people dead.
What's still developing
- Spanish media reported at least 39 deaths, citing emergency services in the Castilla-La Mancha region, while other reports suggested an even higher toll.
- Authorities had not yet issued a consolidated final casualty figure.
- Spain's health minister Monica Garcia said that 80 people were injured, 15 of them very seriously.
- A spokesperson for the Spanish emergency services told AFP the trains collided just before 9:00 am (0800 GMT) in the municipality of Urda, around 130 kilometres (80 miles) south of Madrid.
- "It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year," said Sánchez, who faces a national election on Nov. 29.