The Spain high-speed train crash has killed at least 39 people after two trains collided on a railway line connecting Madrid with the southern Andalusia region. Local authorities told Sky News that the death toll had reached 39, with the total number of casualties still being assessed.
The collision occurred shortly after 9 am local time on Wednesday near Urda and Los Yebenes in Toledo province. The trains involved were operated by Iryo and Spain’s state-owned Renfe.
More than 500 passengers were reportedly travelling on the two trains. Several carriages overturned and plunged down an embankment, according to regional authorities.
Spain train crash: More than 500 passengers involved
The Iryo train, travelling from Madrid to Seville, was carrying 147 people, according to Sky News. The Renfe AVE train was carrying 397 passengers.
The circumstances leading to the collision remain unclear. Spanish media reported that one of the trains may have been stationary when the crash occurred, but this had not been independently established in the available reports.
Emergency services, including police, firefighters and medical teams, were deployed to the scene. Authorities established a triage station to provide initial treatment before transferring injured passengers to hospitals.
The Red Cross was also alerted, while neighbouring regions sent additional emergency resources. Madrid’s regional blood transfusion centre issued an urgent appeal for donations in anticipation of a possible increase in demand.
Rail services suspended after deadly collision
Rail services on the high-speed corridor between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the accident.
Iryo confirmed that its train 6076, travelling from Madrid to Seville, was involved in the incident near Urda. The operator said it had activated emergency protocols and was coordinating with the relevant authorities.
The company also cancelled services departing from Madrid’s Atocha station towards the southern high-speed rail corridor. It had not provided an estimate for when services would resume.
Renfe expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished injured passengers a speedy recovery. The company said its priority was to assess the damage and support affected passengers and emergency services.
Spanish leaders express condolences to victims
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was shocked by the serious accident and expressed solidarity with victims and their families.
Spain’s royal household also expressed concern and extended support to those affected and the emergency teams responding to the crash.
Football clubs Real Madrid and Sevilla FC issued statements expressing condolences to the victims’ families and support for those injured.
Survivors described a loud impact and scenes of destruction inside and around the trains. One passenger told Spanish radio station COPE that she saw a carriage that had fallen and was completely burned out.
Cause of Spain train crash remains unknown
Authorities had not established the cause of the collision at the time of the reports. Investigators will need to determine the sequence of events and whether any technical or track-related factors contributed to the accident.
The crash follows another deadly rail accident in Spain in January, when at least 45 people were killed and 170 injured in a collision involving derailed trains near Adamuz in southern Spain.
The latest incident has again raised questions about railway safety, although no cause or responsibility had been confirmed in the Toledo crash.
