Spain High-Speed Train Collision Kills at Least 68
At least 68 people died after two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, officials said. The toll rose through the day, from 10 initially reported to about 30, and then to at least 68. Rescue work was still underway, so the number could change further.
The crash happened at about 9:15 a.m. local time on October 28, between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes in Toledo province. A high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Seville ran into the rear of another high-speed train that had stopped while heading in the same direction. The two trains carried more than 500 passengers between them. Two cars derailed, and one car was shredded into bits of metal and debris scattered down a gravel slope.
Spain’s transportation minister, Óscar Puente, pointed to a computer communications failure. The failure triggered a red signal that automatically stopped traffic, but a Renfe high-speed train was authorized to continue its journey despite the active red signal because of a stationary train on the tracks ahead, breaking protocol, Puente said. He said an erroneous decision was made to restart the train. The exact sequence of events remains under investigation.
Rescue work focused on the two most damaged cars. Spain’s health minister, Mónica García, said emergency workers were focusing on rescuing survivors and bodies from those cars, and the injured were being sent to hospitals in the area. The BBC reported 80 people injured, about 50 of them seriously. Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on social media that he was shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo, and that emergency services were working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety. He offered affection, solidarity and support to the victims and their families.
Spain’s football federation postponed all 24 Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Wednesday as a sign of respect and solidarity with the victims. The Associated Press reported that the crash was the second major train accident in Spain this year.
