In brief
A high‑speed train crash near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province killed at least 68 people and injured hundreds, including two South Korean nationals. One Korean was discharged after minor injuries, while the other remains hospitalized. Spanish rescuers are still searching the wreckage for survivors as authorities investigate a control‑center error. Spain has declared three days of national mourning.
A high‑speed train collided with a stationary train near the town of Urda in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday, killing at least 68 people and injuring hundreds, including two South Korean nationals, a South Korean foreign‑ministry official said on Thursday.
Reuters reported earlier Thursday that emergency workers were still combing the wreckage in hopes of finding survivors, with more than 300 personnel on the scene working through the night.
The Korea foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday that one of the two injured Korean passengers sustained minor injuries and was discharged from hospital, while the other remains hospitalized, according to reports by Yonhap.
Spanish transport minister Oscar Puente said that a rail‑control center had instructed a Renfe train to depart despite a red signal, an error he described as “inexplicable.” The incident occurred after an automatic safety system was down, according to Los Angeles Times reports cited by UPI.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning on Thursday and said that the investigation would look into human error as well as system failures; he urged stronger safety measures for the rail network.
The crash, involving a Renfe AVE train and an Iryo high‑speed carriage, has drawn condolences from international leaders, including the UAE president and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, who sent messages of sympathy to King Felipe VI.
