High-speed trains in Toledo, Spain (Photo: Shutterstock) The number of people killed in a collision between two high-speed trains in the Urda area, in the province of Toledo, has risen to 68. According to an official statement from the provincial government, 44 of the deceased were traveling on an Iryo train and 24 on an AVE train operated by Renfe. More than a hundred people were injured to varying degrees of severity.
The accident occurred on the high-speed train line connecting Madrid and Seville. It shut down train traffic on several sections of the network, and disrupted services connecting Madrid with Andalusia.
The Castilla-La Mancha government activated the regional emergency plan and raised the level of preparedness for an emergency. Police, firefighters, medical teams and civil defense personnel were called to the scene. Hospitals in the area were prepared to receive the injured, while psychological support teams were activated for the families and passengers affected by the incident.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived at the scene of the accident and announced that the government had declared three days of national mourning, from October 29 to 31. During the days of mourning, Spanish flags will be flown at half-mast in all public buildings. Sanchez pledged that the circumstances of the accident would be investigated, and that if any failures or negligence were discovered, they would be addressed.
Renfe announced that high-speed train services between Madrid and Andalusia remain suspended. The company is operating alternative services on the regular train network between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Puertollano, extending the journey time by about an hour and a half. Starting Friday, October 30, an alternative transport system for passengers between Madrid and Andalusia is planned.
The railway infrastructure company Adif announced that assistance centers for victims and their families have been set up at train stations in Madrid, Seville, Cordoba and Malaga.
The investigation into the circumstances of the collision is ongoing. At this stage, authorities have not yet released final conclusions regarding the cause of the accident or liability.