Spain rail crash kills 68 before vote
Prime Minister Sánchez visits the Toledo site as his government declares three days of mourning and faces election challenges.
By Jacob Reynolds ·
Sixty-eight people died in a high-speed rail collision in central Spain on Wednesday, marking the second deadly train disaster in the country this year. The crash occurred in the Toledo province, where one train struck a stationary vehicle from behind on a line bordered by olive groves.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the crash site in the town of Urda after regional authorities confirmed the death toll exceeded sixty. Dozens of injured passengers were transported to local hospitals for treatment. The incident happened four weeks before national elections, raising urgent questions about rail safety just before voters cast ballots.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that human error caused the accident. He explained that a central command center issued an order for a RENFE train to restart after a computer malfunction stopped a security system. Puente said the order was inexplicable because a stop signal remained active on the line. He noted that train engineers were not at fault. The RENFE train collided with the stopped IRYO train at 8:53 a.m. local time.
Sánchez pledged a full investigation and safety improvements to rebuild public trust. He declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday. The Prime Minister said it was not acceptable for Spain to endure two high-speed accidents in the same year. The rail network carried 45 million travelers last year and ranks second in the world in track mileage behind China.
This crash follows a January accident in southern Spain where 46 people died when a train derailed and hit another. Both disasters involved trains operated by state-owned RENFE and private operator IRYO. Spain liberalized its high-speed rail service in 2021, with IRYO beginning operations the following year. The new accidents threaten the government's standing ahead of the first national election since 2023.
Political rivals quickly reacted to the tragedy. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Popular Party, demanded a full investigation and canceled campaign events for the day. He stated that Spaniards are asking tough questions that require answers. Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, called the government a criminal organization. He said his party would work tirelessly until the administration answered for its actions in a courtroom.
Emergency workers, firefighters, police, and soldiers spent Wednesday night using cranes to move parts of the damaged trains. Hundreds of personnel worked to rescue survivors and recover bodies. The crash site remains a focal point for the government's response as it balances the immediate crisis with upcoming campaign events.
Source: NPR
