68 Killed as Renfe Train Strikes Iryo Car from Behind
The collision near Urda is the second high-speed rail disaster in Spain this year, prompting a three-day national mourning period and renewed calls for infrastructure audits.
By Alina Campbell ·
Spain is observing three days of national mourning after a high-speed rail collision killed 68 people on Wednesday. The accident occurred on the line connecting Madrid to Andalusia, marking the second major train disaster in the country this year.
Two trains were traveling in the same direction when the Iryo service stopped. A Renfe train moving behind it failed to stop and struck the rear of the Iryo train. The impact pushed several carriages off the track near the town of Urda, located about 130 kilometers south of Madrid.
Health officials reported that 107 people required hospital treatment. Fifteen of those patients are in serious condition. The transport minister cited an error and inexplicable circumstances as factors in the crash. This description has raised fresh questions about the safety protocols on the national rail network.
Rescue crews worked through the night to search the wreckage. Cranes were used to lift twisted sections of metal from the site. Emiliano García-Page, the leader of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, warned that the death toll could rise. He noted that rescuers have not yet been able to reach the bottom of the carriages.
The Civil Guard opened four offices in Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, and Seville to collect DNA samples from relatives. Blood donation points were established in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha. In Urda, a local school serves as a gathering point for families seeking information. Red Cross teams are present to support those arriving at the site.
Red Cross psychologist Carmen Garcia said the coming hours will be long and difficult. She observed that people are reacting in various ways, including shock, anger, and sadness. Garcia stated that the grieving process will be complicated for those affected.
This incident follows a January collision near Adamuz on the same line. That crash killed 46 people when another Renfe train hit an Iryo train. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it unacceptable for Spain to suffer two such accidents in one year. He promised that any failure in the security system or negligence would be handled with utmost severity. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the opposition People's Party, demanded an immediate and independent review of the entire rail network.
