Spain investigates deadly high-speed collision as rail safety comes under scrutiny

At least 68 people died when a high-speed Renfe train collided with a stationary Iryo service in Castilla-La Mancha, prompting an official investigation and renewed questions about Spain’s rail safety. France 24 reported that around 100 people were wounded, while Spain’s health minister gave a figure of 80 injured, including 15 in very serious condition. The crash occurred shortly after 9am local time between the municipalities of Mora and Orgaz, around 140 kilometres south of Madrid.

Euronews placed the collision between Urda and Los Yébenes, in Toledo province. The Renfe service was travelling from Madrid towards Seville when it struck the rear of the Iryo train on the same track. The trains were carrying hundreds of people.

The Castilla-La Mancha government said 397 passengers were aboard the Renfe service and 147 on the Iryo train. Two Iryo carriages were derailed, with several carriages falling down an embankment and one described by the BBC as having caught fire. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the stationary train had stopped after a computer communications failure.

According to the BBC, the failure triggered a red signal and automatically halted traffic, but a Madrid control centre then authorised trains to move again without speed restrictions. Puente described that decision as “inexplicable”. Those details have not been presented as a final finding.

Renfe said the service continued after being authorised to proceed and that the exact sequence of events, traffic conditions and circumstances of the impact would have to be established by investigators. Euronews initially reported that the cause remained unknown. Rescuers worked through wrecked carriages as ambulances, helicopters, firefighters, police and a military emergency unit reached the rural scene.

The Civil Guard said DNA samples from relatives could be required to identify some victims. Renfe opened a special line for families and suspended ticket sales on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed corridor until December 13. The collision was Spain’s second fatal high-speed rail accident of the year.

Reports differ slightly over the January death toll, putting it at 45 or 46, but agree that the earlier crash involved high-speed trains on the same line. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the two incidents appeared unrelated, but called two major accidents in one year unacceptable and promised that any safety failures would be addressed.