At least 68 people have died after two high-speed trains collided on the Madrid-Andalusia line in Toledo province, Spain, with rescuers using cranes to search for people trapped in the wreckage. More than 107 injured people are in hospital.
The crash happened between RENFE and Iryo trains shortly before 9am on the high-speed line. Carriages left the tracks and plunged down an embankment. One survivor described the scene as "apocalyptic", saying wrecked carriages had been reduced to a "twisted mass of metal" and it looked "as if a bomb had gone off". Another said: "There were dead bodies, there were missing limbs. I don't know if that is something I will ever recover from."
Rescue Operation Underway
Rescuers are using cranes to shift the train's carriages where they lie amid the wreckage, in an attempt to "create new access points" to reach people inside. Monica Fortea, an evacuations expert, told RTVE Noticias: "What they're trying to do now is lift this carriage and rescue people alive from underneath. That's why the speed with which they act is crucial. Normally, this would have been postponed until tomorrow if they didn't think there might be another life here."
The Spanish interior ministry said more than 500 crews are still on scene in Urda, including 102 personnel from Civil Protection and Emergencies and 422 personnel from the Civil Guard. Three helicopters, drones, cavalry and dogs are also assisting. Spain's Emergency Military Unit (UME) said 200 officers had been deployed, with the main objective being "the urgent location and rescue of trapped people, as well as the stabilization of the environment through the opening of access routes and the removal of heavy railway elements."
Cause of the Collision
Spain's transport minister, Oscar Puente, has said a computer failure led to the initial halt of six moving trains, including the two trains that subsequently collided. "In the event of a system failure, the control centre takes over," he said, adding it was the control centre which decided to allow the trains to move again, without any speed restrictions. That decision, Puente said, was "inexplicable".
The security system on a 39-mile stretch stopped working at 8.30am due to a computer malfunction, causing all trains on that stretch to stop. The central command then told the RENFE train to start going again with no speed restrictions, resulting in the collision with the stopped IRYO train at 8.53am. Puente said the train should never have been told to start moving again since there was still a "stop signal" active on that line. Iryo has contradicted the claims and said the driver did not receive an order to resume the journey, El Mundo reports.
Victims and Response
The Spanish Civil Guard has confirmed that one of its officers, named José Manuel, is among those who lost their lives. A statement said: "We want to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of José Manuel, a Civil Guard officer who passed away today in the train accident in Urda, Toledo."
There were 544 people on board the trains affected by the accident, 397 on the AVE and 147 on the Iryo, Sur reports. The emergency service of Castilla-La Mancha confirmed that 107 people are hospitalized in healthcare centres in the region. Fifteen people are seriously injured, with health minister Mónica García saying she is waiting to hear on their evolution. She said: "All hospitals have activated their contingency plans, reinforcing emergency services and operating rooms and reorganising care activities."
Former Spanish employment minister Fátima Báñez has been confirmed as having been on board one of the trains involved in the crash. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), which Báñez now heads, confirmed she had been travelling on the Iryo service but said information about her wellbeing remained "pending".
The UK Foreign Office said its teams are in contact with authorities in Spain. A spokesperson told the Mirror: "We are in contact with local authorities following reports of a train collision in Toledo, Spain. Our thoughts are with all those impacted. We stand ready to provide consular assistance to any British Nationals involved."
EU flags at all European institutions will fly at half-mast in the coming weeks as a sign of mourning. President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "Just received the devastating news from Toledo on the collision of two high-speed trains. My heart goes out to the victims' families and loved ones. Today, Europe mourns with you."
All of today's Copa del Rey football matches have been postponed following the crash. The Royal Spanish Football Federation said 24 fixtures had been due to take place but were called off as a "sign of respect and solidarity" with those affected. The president of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, declared three days of official mourning in Andalusia, saying "We are devastated. All of Andalusia stands with the victims of this new railway accident."
The crash is the second deadly high-speed rail crash in Spain this year. At least 45 people were killed and 170 injured when two trains derailed near Adamuz in southern Spain on January 18. An investigation later found that a fracture in the rail appeared to have occurred before the crash.
