At least 10 dead after high-speed trains collide in Spain's Toledo province
Two trains collided on the Madrid-Andalusia line on Wednesday, derailing two carriages and suspending services as authorities assessed the casualties.
At least 10 people died when two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo province on Wednesday, 28 October, according to an Associated Press report carried by the South China Morning Post. The crash disrupted rail travel between Madrid and Andalusia as authorities worked to establish the number of casualties.
Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, confirmed the minimum death toll and said the number would ‘surely rise’, AP reported. A regional government source also told Reuters that at least 10 people had died. The regional government said the number of injured people was still being determined, according to Reuters.
What happened on the Madrid-Andalusia line
The trains, operated by Renfe and Iryo, collided shortly after 9 a.m. local time, Reuters reported. A regional government spokesperson said two Iryo carriages derailed. Rail operator Adif described the crash as a rear-end collision and suspended traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line.
AP reported that service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia. Reuters said the collision occurred on the line from Madrid to Seville. The cause was still being determined, the regional spokesperson told Reuters.
Emergency response and earlier rail crash
Manuel Galan, mayor of nearby Urda, told Cadena SER that emergency services had asked the town council to prepare facilities, including a sports hall, for passengers and injured people, Reuters reported. Footage from regional broadcaster Castilla-La Mancha Television showed a derailed train, with wreckage on an embankment below the track, according to Reuters.
The collision follows a crash on the same line in January that killed 46 people. In that accident, a train derailed and struck an oncoming train near Adamuz, in Cordoba province. Reuters reported that the earlier crash had prompted debate about investment in railway maintenance.
The Daily Mirror's live coverage cited Spanish media reporting a higher toll of 46 dead and more than 179 injured. Those figures had not been established by the regional authorities in the AP and Reuters reports; the confirmed minimum was 10 deaths as the response continued.
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Sources and context
- Developing | At least 10 dead in Spain after high-speed trains collideSouth China Morning Post; Associated Press
- Two high-speed trains collide in Spain, at least 10 deadThe Straits Times; Reuters
- At least 46 dead and 179 injured after two high-speed trains collideDaily Mirror
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.