High-Speed Train Crash in Toledo Kills 64

Authorities in central Spain confirmed that at least 64 people died in a high-speed train collision on Wednesday morning.

The crash occurred in the province of Toledo when one train struck the rear of another that had already stopped on the tracks. Two cars derailed in the impact, which took place in a flat area of olive fields between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes.

Emiliano García-Page, the regional president of Castilla La Mancha, stated that at least 80 people were injured. He broke down the death toll by operator, reporting 24 fatalities on the RENFE train and six on the IRYO train. Rail system operator ADIF noted that hundreds of passengers were aboard the two trains, which were traveling in the same direction from Madrid toward Seville.

Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the regional government, said the cause of the crash is not yet known. Rail service has been suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia while crews assess the damage. The accident involved a state-owned RENFE train and a private IRYO train, with Spanish media reporting that the RENFE vehicle rammed the IRYO.

Passenger Ignacio Relaño, who was on the RENFE train, told state broadcaster TVE that the vehicle slowed abruptly before the impact. He described the car leaning heavily to one side and luggage flying through the compartment. Health Minister Mónica García said emergency workers are prioritizing the rescue of survivors and bodies from the two most damaged cars. Injured passengers are being transported to various hospitals in the region.

A military emergency brigade was deployed to assist firefighters, police, and medical teams. Ambulances and helicopters moved personnel to and from the site, while buses transported uninjured survivors away from the wreckage. Manuel Galán, the mayor of Urda, said civil protection authorities asked his town hall to prepare a sports pavilion to care for the injured.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez canceled his schedule to focus on the response. On social media, he wrote that he was dismayed by the accident and that emergency services were attending to affected passengers. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia issued a statement expressing their sadness and concern for the victims and their families. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also commented, saying Europe mourns with the victims.

This is the second major train accident in Spain this year. In January, 46 people died when an IRYO train left the track and collided with an oncoming RENFE train in southern Spain. That incident was the deadliest in the country since a 2013 crash that killed 80 people. Spain's rail union representative Joan Rodríguez told TVE that increased traffic from privatization has placed extra strain on the infrastructure. He said the liberalization of high-speed rail may not have been matched by necessary line upkeep.