At least 10 feared dead after collision in Toledo province
Jakub Krupa
At least 10 people are feared dead and many more injured after two high-speed trains collided in Toledo province in central Spain.
Spain’s state rail infrastructure authority said services between Madrid and the southern region of Andalucía had been suspended “following a rear-end collision between two trains” on Wednesday morning.
A spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha region, where the crash occurred, said the cause and number of injuries were yet to be determined.
Government sources told El País at least 10 people had been killed, and that the crash could be worse than the Adamuz rail disaster in January in which 46 people were killed.
Miguel, a passenger travelling with several colleagues in the rear car of one of the trains, described to COPE radio the moment of the accident.
“We heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail. Through the right-hand window, we could see a wrecked train – I imagine it must have been the other one.”
At least 30 dead in Spanish train crash, local government confirms
Castilla-la Mancha regional government said the death toll had risen to 30 from 10, in line with their previous warnings that the number could rise (10:46).
Early indications suggest that a Renfe AVE train from Madrid to Sevilla – the larger of the two (11:00) – collided with the Iryo train ahead of it.
Spanish news agency EFE reported that at least three carriages derailed, with some falling off the embankment, fuelling concerns that the death toll could still rise further.
The investigation will look into what caused the incident and look at both the driver’s reactions and the operation of the signalling system.
The incident took place in the Urda area of Toledro province.
“We are moved and concerned by the train accident in Urda (Toledo). We share in the sorrow of the families and loved ones of the deceased and send our affection to the injured and those affected.
Our support also goes to the emergency teams and all those working in the area to help as much as possible under these circumstances.”
At least 30 dead after two train collide in Spain - what do we know
At least 30 people are believed to have died after two high-speed trains collided in the province of Toledo in Spain, with concerns the death toll could be much higher.
The number of people affected is expected to rise (10:46), local authorities said, with growing concerns about a “major tragedy” (11:03).
The affected trains are understood to be Iryo 7076 with 146 passengers plus one baby on board, and AVE 2080 with 397 passengers on board, making it 544 people in total on board of both train (11:00).
The incident comes less than a year after a similar crash in Adamuz, the province of Córdoba, which killed 46 and injured 152 in January this year (11:00).
Spain’s high-speed railway network ranks as the largest in Europe and the second biggest in the world after China, carrying 25 million passengers in 2024.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez said he was “shocked” by the accident (11:05), with transport minister Óscar Puente working at the emergency control centre to “obtain all possible information about what happened” (11:16).
Updated at 10:50am UK to reflect the new death toll
Spanish PM, opposition leader 'shocked' by train crash in Toledo
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez responded to the crash on X:
“Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo. I remain in constant contact with the Minister of Transport, @oscar_puente_, and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha, @garciapage.
Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations. My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families.”
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo on X:
“Very concerned about the information we are getting about a new rail accident. The priority now is to attend to the victims and support their families. My full support to the emergency teams working on the ground.”
Spanish health ministers fears 'major tragedy' after train collision in Toledo
Spain’s health minister Mónica García just appeared on RTVE Noticias with a brief update on the incident.
She said there are no further details regarding the number of fatalities and affected, as the focus is on ensuring proper care to all injured, with hospitals freeing up resources whenever possible to allocate them to this incident.
But she conceded – and repeated twice - that it was “a high-impact accident, and we fear this will turn out to be a major tragedy.”
Toledo crash brings back memories of deadly crash in Adamuz
Today’s accident evokes grim echoes of this January’s tragedy in Adamuz, where 46 people killed and 152 were injured after two high-speed trains crashed in Adamuz, the province of Córdoba.
A few days later, a driver was killed and 37 people injured when a train was derailed by the collapse of a retaining wall near Gelida in Catalonia.
Following the Adamuz train crash earlier this year, Spain’s largest train drivers’ union called for a three-day nationwide strike as it demanded more thorough safety checks and “the restoration of safety standards on the railway system.”
But with almost 4,000km of track, Spain’s high-speed railway network ranks as the largest in Europe and the second biggest in the world after China, according to the Spanish infrastructure administrator Adif.
The network is tremendously popular, competitively priced and generally considered a safe mode of transport. In 2024, Renfe said more than 25 million passengers had travelled on its high-speed trains that year.
But in another major incident in 2013, 80 people died after a train derailed in the country’s north-west near Santiago de Compostela. An investigation concluded the train was travelling at 179km/h on a stretch of the line with an 80km/h speed limit when it left the tracks.
Death toll likely to rise, local government spokesperson warns
Local government spokesperson told TVE that the death toll “will almost certainly rise.”
Esther Padilla told the broadcaster:
“We know that the number of fatalities and injuries will continue to rise. We are prepared to provide the best possible care as quickly as we can, but the situation … is likely to worsen.”
She said the affected trains are likely to be Iryo 7076 with 146 passengers plus one baby on board, and AVE 2080 with 397 passengers on board, El País reported.
At least 10 feared dead after collision in Toledo province
Jakub Krupa
At least 10 people are feared dead and many more injured after two high-speed trains collided in Toledo province in central Spain.
Spain’s state rail infrastructure authority said services between Madrid and the southern region of Andalucía had been suspended “following a rear-end collision between two trains” on Wednesday morning.
A spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha region, where the crash occurred, said the cause and number of injuries were yet to be determined.
Government sources told El País at least 10 people had been killed, and that the crash could be worse than the Adamuz rail disaster in January in which 46 people were killed.