Urda, Toledo: At least 46 people have been reported dead after two high-speed passenger trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, 28 October, El Espanol reported, citing Castilla-La Mancha emergency services. The regional emergency service was also cited by La Voz de Galicia as reporting at least 46 deaths by late Wednesday morning, following earlier figures of ten and 39, EU Today reported.

Source: El Espanol via The Spanish Eye

The toll remains provisional and the figures differ by source: the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha had confirmed 30 deaths, while Civil Protection sources told Spanish newspapers El Espanol and ABC that the death toll had exceeded 46, The Telegraph reported via TOB News. Local authorities had confirmed at least 39 deaths, a regional government spokesperson said. Rescue operations were continuing and officials warned the total could still rise.

Source: TOB News / The Telegraph

The collision occurred at about 8:54am local time near Urda, in Toledo province, when a Renfe AVE service struck the rear of an Iryo train that had stopped on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line, according to rail infrastructure manager Adif and the regional government. At least two carriages left the tracks and fell down an embankment. There were 544 passengers aboard the two services: 397 on the Renfe train and 147 on the Iryo service, including a baby, the regional government said.

Source: EU Today

According to Cadena SER, the Renfe train had departed Madrid's Puerta de Atocha station at 8am and was due to reach Seville at 10:39am. Adif confirmed the interruption of high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia, and Renfe announced free ticket changes and cancellations for affected passengers.

Source: EU Today (Cadena SER reporting)

Rescue operation continues

Firefighters from Alcazar de San Juan and Orgaz joined Civil Protection teams from surrounding municipalities at the scene, with three medical helicopters and two mobile intensive care units deployed, Clash Report said. The Castilla-La Mancha government raised its territorial emergency plan, Platecam, to level 2, and regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page requested assistance from the Military Emergencies Unit. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X that emergency services were working on the ground to assist those affected, in coordination with all the administrations involved, Qazinform reported, citing Xinhua.

Source: Qazinform / Xinhua

Investigators examine signalling and possible human error

Investigators are examining whether a signalling failure and possible human error contributed to the collision, The Spanish Eye reported. Sources close to the investigation cited by El Correo pointed to a suspected signalling error, and rail engineering expert Jose Maria Goicolea Ruigomez told Europa Press that a fault could have left trains operating without the LZB automatic protection system, instead using ASFA, which requires greater intervention from the driver. These are early lines of inquiry reported by Spanish media, not established findings: investigators have yet to determine why the Iryo train had stopped and why the following service was able to approach it, and the cause of the accident has not been officially determined.

Source: The Spanish Eye (El Espanol / El Correo / Europa Press reporting)