Vismaz 69 cilvēki gāja bojā un vairāki desmiti guva ievainojumus, kad ātrgaitas vilciens ietriecās stāvošā sastāvā uz Madrides–Seviļas līnijas Spānijā, ziņo BBC. The fatal crash occurred just before 9:00 a.m. local time near Urda, close to Toledo, following a computer system failure that had temporarily halted rail traffic across a 63-kilometer stretch of the route.
Train Collision Near Urda
The disaster unfolded after an IT systems failure disabled the LZB automatic signaling and safety system at approximately 8:30 a.m., forcing six trains on the high-speed corridor to stop, LA.LV reported. Dispatchers at the Atocha control center in Madrid subsequently issued orders for trains to resume movement. At 8:36 a.m., the Renfe AVE 2080 train carrying 397 passengers was cleared to proceed at normal speed using an alternative side signaling block.
Minutes later, the driver of an Iryo 6076 train carrying 147 passengers contacted the control center to report a complete loss of communication with the onboard control system near Urda station. Despite subsequent calls where the Iryo driver confirmed the train remained stationary on the tracks because safety systems prevented a restart, dispatchers did not countermand the order given to the approaching Renfe service. At 8:53 a.m., the Renfe train slammed into the rear of the stalled Iryo composition, causing the final three Iryo carriages and part of the Renfe train to tumble off the embankment.
Leaders question decisions behind train resumption
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the decision by the control center to allow trains to resume unrestricted speeds under those conditions as “inexplicable,” noting that the service should never have been dispatched. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the crash site and announced that authorities were working continuously to uncover every detail of the disaster.
Audio recordings published by outlets including El País revealed the exchanges between operators and drivers in the 17 critical minutes leading up to the impact. Investigators from the Spanish Civil Guard, alongside hundreds of specialized personnel utilizing drones and helicopters, secured the wreckage to examine black box data, communication logs, and dispatch records. Meanwhile, the Spanish railway union Semaf proceeded with a previously planned strike by train drivers to advocate for enhanced railway safety.
Spain declares mourning amid political protests
The Spanish government declared three days of national mourning, prompting politicians across the political spectrum to suspend public events and emergency election campaigns ahead of the November 29 snap elections. Exceptions included the far-right Vox party, whose leader Santiago Abascal stated the party would not participate in halting criticism over national rail infrastructure. Public frustration boiled over outside the Ministry of Transport in Madrid, where roughly 1,500 demonstrators gathered to demand the resignations of Sánchez and Puente, prompting police to deploy tear gas after flares and bottles were thrown.
The tragedy also disrupted cultural and sporting fixtures nationwide, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) ordering the postponement of 24 Copa del Rey matches in solidarity with the victims. Forensic teams transported recovered remains to the legal medicine institute in Toledo for identification through DNA matching with family reference samples provided at specialized assistance centers set up in Toledo and other locations.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Spain Rail Disaster
How many passengers were on board the two colliding trains?
The Renfe AVE train carried 397 passengers, while the Iryo service transported 147 passengers, according to figures released by Diena and LA.LV.
What caused the initial stoppage of the trains before the crash?
An IT systems failure disabled the LZB automatic signaling and safety system across a 63-kilometer section of the Madrid-Seville high-speed line at approximately 8:30 a.m., as reported by LA.LV.
How does this disaster compare to past railway incidents in Spain?
This incident ranks as one of the worst railway catastrophes in modern European history and Spain’s worst rail disaster since the July 2013 crash near Santiago de Compostela, which resulted in 80 deaths, according to NRA.lv.
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