At least 64 people were killed and dozens more injured when two high-speed passenger trains collided in central Spain on October 28, triggering a massive emergency response and suspending rail service along a major transportation corridor. The disaster occurred near Urda in Toledo province, south of Madrid, as authorities began investigating what caused the trains to collide.
The collision involved a Renfe AVE train and a train operated by Iryo on the Madrid-Seville high-speed rail route. The impact derailed two carriages, leaving emergency workers searching damaged trains and assisting injured passengers. Regional authorities reported 64 deaths and 58 injuries as of 2:00 p.m. local time, warning that the figures remained provisional.
The Castilla-La Mancha government activated its regional emergency response plan shortly after the crash and subsequently raised the alert level to mobilize additional resources, including Spain’s Military Emergency Unit. Firefighters, police officers, medical teams, and civil protection volunteers were dispatched to the scene, while emergency personnel established facilities to evaluate and treat the injured.
The collision also disrupted travel between Madrid and southern Spain. Rail infrastructure operator Adif suspended high-speed service along the affected Madrid-Andalusia line, while Renfe activated its emergency assistance program for victims and their families. Authorities established family assistance locations at several railway stations and in Urda to help relatives obtain information about passengers.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed solidarity with those affected and said he was coordinating with national and regional officials as the emergency response continued. Investigators had not established the cause of the collision, and authorities had not announced final casualty figures. The scale of the disaster has placed renewed attention on railway safety as Spain works to assist survivors, identify victims, and determine how the crash occurred.
