68 Dead in Spain Train Crash Before Election
A collision in Toledo province marks the second fatal high-speed rail accident in Spain this year, raising safety questions for a system carrying 45 million passengers.
By Riya Zhao ·
Sixty-eight people died Wednesday when a high-speed train struck another from behind near the town of Urda in central Spain. The crash occurred in the province of Toledo, a quiet area lined with olive groves, just four weeks before national elections.
This is the second deadly rail disaster in Spain this year. In January, 46 people were killed when a train derailed and hit the side of another train traveling in the opposite direction in the south.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the site after regional authorities confirmed the high death toll. Dozens of injured passengers were transported to local hospitals. Sánchez declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday.
Spain’s high-speed rail network is the second largest in the world by track mileage, behind only China. It has operated for more than 30 years without a fatal crash until this year. The system carried 45 million travelers last year.
Both accidents this year involved trains operated by the state-owned RENFE and the private carrier IRYO. Spain opened its high-speed rail market to private operators in 2021, with IRYO beginning service the following year.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that a central command center issued an order that caused the crash. He described the order as "inexplicable" and said the train engineers were not at fault.
At 8:30 a.m., a computer malfunction stopped a security system on a 63-kilometer stretch of track. All trains on that section halted. An IRYO train stopped near Urda, while a RENFE train stopped 25 kilometers behind it.
Minutes later, the central command told the RENFE train to resume running without speed restrictions. The train collided with the stationary IRYO train at 8:53 a.m. Puente said the RENFE train should have remained stopped because a stop signal was still active, or it should have moved at a reduced speed.
Sánchez pledged an investigation into the collision. He said the government needs to reinforce safety to rebuild public trust in the rail service. He noted that it is not acceptable for Spain to endure two high-speed train accidents in the same year.
The crash complicates Sánchez’s political standing ahead of the vote. His Socialist party had hoped to leverage voter discontent over housing costs. Now he must address rail safety concerns alongside attacks from right-wing rivals.
Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for a full investigation. His party canceled campaign events for the day to respect the victims. He said Spaniards are asking tough questions that demand answers.
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, criticized the government more sharply. He described the tragedy as a sign of despair and betrayal. Abascal promised to work until the government is held accountable in a courtroom.
