At least 68 people were killed and more than 100 others injured when two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid on Wednesday, according to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, in one of Spain's deadliest rail disasters.
The accident occurred at 8:54 am local time near Urda, in the province of Toledo, on a straight section of track with good visibility. Officials say that the crash was caused by human error after a computer system failure.
The crash involved two high-speed trains operated by Spanish rail companies Renfe and Iryo on the Madrid-Seville line. According to Renfe, the collision near Urda station caused the two rear carriages of the Iryo train to derail. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene.
Footage published by local media showed the wreckage of both trains scattered across the tracks and a nearby embankment as emergency crews worked at the scene. Passengers were seen leaving the area with their luggage in the aftermath of the crash.
Spain's Civil Guard deployed additional officers and specialist units to the scene, including traffic police, aerial surveillance teams, drone operators and forensic investigators specialising in major disasters.
Emergency officials were also monitoring the situation and coordinating with civil protection teams in the Castilla-La Mancha region.
The collision prompted the suspension of high-speed rail services in both directions between Madrid and Andalusia, according to Spanish rail infrastructure operator (Adif).
'Europe mourns': Leaders react to deadly crash
In a post on social media site X, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was "shocked" by the accident, and that he remained in contact with the transport minister and the Castilla-La Mancha autonomous community president.
View the post on X
Spain's Health Minister Mónica García described the collision as a "high-impact accident" and warned that it could become a "major tragedy."
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said "Europe mourns" with the victims after the "devastating news", while French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his country's "solidarity".
Wednesday's crash comes just nine months after another collision involving two high-speed trains near the southern Spanish town of Adamuz killed 46 people in January, raising serious concerns about rail safety in the country.
