Spain began three days of national mourning Thursday, October 29, following a devastating collision between two high-speed trains near Toledo that killed at least 69 people and injured more than 100, raising serious questions about railway safety and the decisions made by traffic controllers immediately before the disaster.
The accident occurred Wednesday at approximately 8:53 a.m. near Urda, about 130 kilometers south of Madrid, when a Renfe AVE train traveling toward Seville struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train. Several carriages derailed, with some falling down an embankment. Hundreds of rescue workers, police officers and military personnel continued searching the wreckage Thursday amid concerns that additional victims could remain trapped.
According to Reuters, the death toll rose to 69 Thursday, while dozens of injured passengers remained hospitalized. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared national mourning through Saturday, with flags flying at half-staff across public buildings.
Investigators examine signaling failure and control center decisions
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the investigation was focusing on a signaling malfunction followed by an authorization he described as inexplicable. Puente noted that the LZB automatic train protection system stopped functioning at approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday along a 63-kilometer section of the Madrid-Seville high-speed railway, automatically halting six trains.
Six minutes later, controllers at Adif’s central operations facility in Madrid authorized the Renfe train to resume its journey at normal speed, despite an active stop signal and the presence of the Iryo train ahead. The Renfe train subsequently traveled approximately 25 kilometers before colliding with the stationary train at 8:53 a.m.
Puente said the train should have remained stopped or proceeded under restricted-speed procedures. Investigators are examining recorded conversations between drivers and controllers, signaling data and onboard recording systems to establish the precise sequence of events.
El Mundo and Cadena SER, reported that the Iryo driver had informed controllers that the train remained immobilized. The investigation is examining why the approaching Renfe service was not stopped despite those communications.
National mourning, political reactions and Greek condolences
The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of Spain’s railway network, particularly after another collision near Adamuz in January killed 46 people. Sánchez acknowledged the seriousness of experiencing two major high-speed rail disasters in less than a year, while opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo demanded greater transparency concerning railway infrastructure and maintenance.
Rescue teams deployed cranes, helicopters, drones and search dogs as relatives gathered at assistance centers seeking information about missing passengers. High-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia remained suspended, with Renfe arranging alternative transportation.
Greek President Constantine Tassoulas sent a message of condolence to King Felipe VI, expressing Greece’s solidarity with the Spanish people and the families affected by the tragedy.
The accident has also drawn attention to Spain’s ongoing replacement of its aging LZB signaling system with the European Rail Traffic Management System, although investigators have not established whether the modernization process contributed to the crash.
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