Spain train collision: Atlast 39 dead after Renfe train hits Iryo service on Madrid-Andalusia line

At least 39 people were killed on Wednesday when two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, according to regional emergency services cited by Spanish broadcaster Antena 3. Several carriages derailed, and two plunged down an embankment.

The collision happened just after 9 am local time between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in Toledo province. Regional spokeswoman Esther Padilla said two high-speed trains were heading in the same direction and that one ran into the tail of the other while it was stopped, knocking two of its cars off the track. Rail infrastructure operator Adif described it as a rear-end collision between a Renfe train and an Iryo train travelling from Madrid to Seville. Other reports described the Iryo train as travelling in the opposite direction, and the exact sequence is yet to be established.

Spanish Civil Protection sources told national media that at least 40 were confirmed dead. Some reports put the number of injured at more than 150, while El Español said the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue. Emergency services sent firefighters, medical personnel and rescue teams, including three medical helicopters and two advanced life-support units. Services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia were suspended.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suspended his agenda, expressed shock and said he was in constant contact with Transport Minister Óscar Puente and Castilla-La Mancha regional president Emiliano García-Page. Footage from regional television showed a derailed train with at least one carriage remaining on an elevated section of track, with twisted metal and wreckage strewn across the embankment below.

The cause has not been established and is under investigation.

The crash comes nine months after another accident involving trains of the same operators on the same line. A collision near Adamuz in Córdoba province on January 18 ultimately killed 46 people and raised questions about railway infrastructure and safety in Spain, which operates Europe’s largest high-speed rail network. A source briefed on the initial investigation told Reuters at the time that experts found a broken joint on the rails at the January crash site. Spanish train drivers’ union Semaf had earlier warned Adif of severe wear and tear on the Madrid-Andalusia line in a letter, according to Reuters.