At least 68 people died and around 80 were injured, including 50 seriously and 15 critically, in a collision between two high-speed trains near Urda in Toledo province, Castilla-La Mancha region, Spain, on the morning of Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Trains, Passengers, and Nature of Collision
The crash involved a Renfe-operated AVE high-speed train carrying 397 passengers and a privately operated Iryo train with 147 passengers. The Renfe train crashed into the rear of the stationary Iryo train on the high-speed line connecting Madrid and Seville. Two carriages of the Iryo train derailed and fell down an embankment as a result of the collision.
Signaling System Failure Prior to Crash
Spain’s Transport
Minister Oscar Puente reported a failure of the LZB signaling system at 8:30 am local time along a 63-kilometer stretch that impacted six trains, including those involved in the accident. Despite the signaling failure, the control center authorized train traffic to resume normally. Puente described this decision as “inexplicable”. The crash occurred shortly after this decision to resume operations was made.
Government Response and Rescue Operations
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of official mourning from October 29 to 31, 2026. Sanchez pledged a thorough investigation into any negligence or system failures related to the crash. More than 200 members of the Military Emergencies
Unit, along with emergency medical teams and firefighters from Madrid, are engaged in rescue operations focusing on saving survivors and recovering bodies from the two most damaged train cars.
Spain’s railway infrastructure operator ADIF suspended high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia following the crash. The Civil Guard deployed a disaster investigation team to the site. Castilla-La Mancha regional government head Emiliano Garcia-Page confirmed the number of injured and warned that some seriously wounded patients might not survive.
Second Fatal High-Speed Rail Crash in Spain in 2026
This collision is the second major fatal high-speed train crash in Spain this year. Nine months earlier, a similar accident involving Renfe
and Iryo trains on the same Madrid-Seville line caused 46 deaths. Officials including Prime Minister Sanchez stressed that the causes of the two accidents appear unrelated. The Madrid-Seville route is a critical high-speed rail corridor in southern Spain.
Official Statements and Quotes
Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences and called the incident unacceptable for a country like Spain. “We will get to the bottom of this, and if there was negligence, it will be revealed, and if there were system failures, there will be a strong response,” he said. Sanchez also noted, “What is unacceptable for a country like Spain is to suffer two train
accidents in the same year.”
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia stated that emergency workers are concentrating on rescuing survivors and recovering victims. Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida dispatched emergency medical teams and firefighters to assist.
Impact on Rail Services
High-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia remain suspended as rescue operations and investigations continue. The collision disrupted operations on the key Madrid-Seville high-speed line, affecting passengers and causing service interruptions across the region.
