Madrid-Seville Trains Collide, Killing 30

Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people. The accident occurred just after 9 a.m. local time in Toledo province. Emergency services responded to the site to assist survivors and coordinate with authorities.

Officials confirmed the death toll via the press office for the Castilla La Mancha region. Esther Padilla, a regional spokeswoman, stated that both trains were traveling in the same direction from Madrid to Seville. One train ran into the rear of the other, which had stopped on the line. This impact knocked two cars of the stationary train off the track. The cause of the crash remains unknown.

A total of 544 people were riding the two trains at the time of the collision. Approximately 397 passengers were on the state-owned Renfe train. An additional 147 passengers were on the Iryo train. Miguel, a passenger in the rear car of one of the trains, described hearing a massive roar followed by a thud lasting ten seconds. He reported seeing a wrecked train through the window on the right side.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed deep sadness over the accident. He wrote on social media that emergency services were working on-site to ensure the safety of those affected. Sanchez offered his sympathy and support to the victims and their families. Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda, a municipality near Toledo, said emergency services asked him to prepare a local sports hall to accommodate the injured.

Renfe established an emergency phone line to assist families of the victims. Iryo, an Italian-owned operator, stated that it activated its security protocols and is working closely with authorities. The crash is the second fatal incident on this specific rail line this year.

In January, a deadly collision occurred between high-speed trains run by the same operators on the Madrid to Seville line. That accident left 45 people dead when a train jumped the track and hit an oncoming train. It was the country’s deadliest rail disaster since 2013, when 80 people were killed. Spain currently operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe for trains moving more than 155 mph, with more than 1,900 miles of track.