Spain will observe three days of official national mourning from October 29 to 31 after a collision between two high-speed trains near Urda, in Toledo province south of Madrid, killed at least 68 people on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced at the scene, according to The Guardian and RTVE reports.

Source: The Guardian via World Right Now

“Spain is in mourning,” Sánchez said, pledging that authorities would establish what happened and that any negligence found would be met with a firm response. He said it was unacceptable for Spain to suffer two high-speed rail disasters in the same year, while noting that the causes of the two accidents appeared unrelated, according to RTVE reporting carried by The Spanish Eye.

Source: The Spanish Eye / RTVE

68people killed, regional authorities said
58people treated in hospital
15in critical condition
3 daysof national mourning, Oct 29-31

The Castilla-La Mancha regional government confirmed the death toll of 68 and said 58 people were receiving hospital treatment, with 15 in critical condition, the Associated Press reported. Rescue and recovery teams continued searching the wreckage on Wednesday evening, and regional president Emiliano García-Page had warned that more victims could still be found.

Source: Associated Press via TownPress

Most major political parties suspended their general election campaigns as the country mourned, and Catalonia also declared three days of official mourning, with flags to fly at half-mast on Generalitat buildings from Thursday to Saturday, October 31, Europa Press reported via Demócrata.

Source: Europa Press via Democrata

Investigation focuses on a control-centre order

Transport Minister Óscar Puente has said the investigation is centred on what he called an “inexplicable” order from the central control centre in Madrid, which allowed the Renfe train to resume normal running after the LZB safety system failed, rather than on the actions of the drivers, Euronews reported. The formal investigation by Spain's railway accident investigation commission and judicial authorities is continuing, and no final cause has been established.

Source: Euronews

High-speed services between Madrid and Andalusia remained suspended after infrastructure operator Adif halted traffic on the line, and more than 200 members of Spain's Military Emergencies Unit were working at the crash site, according to Spanish reports compiled in the evening updates. Wednesday's crash came nine months after another high-speed collision on the same Madrid-Seville corridor, near Adamuz in Córdoba province, killed more than 40 people.