Spain Reels as Death Toll Climbs After Toledo High-Speed Collision

At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain’s central province of Toledo, according to a provisional toll cited by the Associated Press on Thursday. The crash has become one of the country’s deadliest recent rail disasters, with rescue teams continuing work at the scene and officials warning that the final number may change.

The collision happened on Wednesday morning near Urda, on the Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line. Renfe confirmed that its AVE service from Madrid to Seville was involved in a crash with an Iryo train between Urda and Los Yébenes. Early reports say the Renfe train struck the rear of the Iryo train, which was stopped on the track.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a computer fault had disabled the line’s LZB signalling and protection system shortly before the collision. The failure automatically stopped trains in the affected area. Puente said the Adif control centre then authorised the Renfe train to resume normal running while the Iryo train remained stopped and a red signal was still in place. These details are part of the government’s preliminary account; investigators have not yet issued final findings.

According to Puente, the Renfe train travelled about 25 kilometres after being cleared to move and may have reached speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour before the impact. He described the decision to allow normal-speed travel in those circumstances as “inexplicable”. The exact sequence, the train’s speed and the actions taken by the control centre remain under investigation.

Emergency services sent firefighters, ambulances, police and medical teams to the wreckage. Castilla-La Mancha authorities reported dozens of people injured, with 53 hospitalised and 15 in critical condition in an update carried by RTVE. Renfe said rail traffic was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia while it activated its victim-assistance plan and worked with emergency services.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was in contact with the transport minister and pledged a full investigation. Spain is still reckoning with another fatal high-speed crash in Adamuz less than a year ago. The Toledo inquiry will examine both the LZB failure and the decision to resume movement, including whether the required reduced-speed “proceed by sight” procedure was followed before the line reopens.