In brief
A collision between a Renfe and an Iryo high‑speed train in Toledo province on October 28 left 74 dead and dozens injured, including two South Korean passengers who sustained injuries. Spanish authorities declared three days of mourning and are investigating possible signalling failures and control center errors.
A high‑speed train collision on Wednesday near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province has raised the death toll to 74, according to the country’s independent accident‑investigation authority AITAT, and two South Korean nationals were among those wounded. The crash occurred on the Madrid‑Seville line, with a Renfe AVE train striking the rear of a stationary Iryo carriage, derailing two carriages and sending them up a raised embankment.
The incident involved more than 500 passengers on the two trains. According to the Korean foreign ministry, as reported by Yonhap, one Korean passenger suffered minor injuries and was discharged from the hospital after treatment, while the second remains hospitalized.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the crash was caused by a “computer failure” that allowed a train to depart despite a red signal, a decision that may have contributed to the collision. The incident has prompted calls for a thorough investigation into the signalling system and the traffic‑control centre’s procedures.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning from October 29 to 31, and messages of condolence were sent by leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Spanish government has suspended rail service between Madrid and Seville, and emergency crews continue to search the wreckage for survivors.
Emergency services have deployed more than 300 personnel to the site, and medical teams are treating hundreds of injured passengers, many in critical condition. The ongoing search, coordinated by the transport ministry, aims to identify any remaining victims before the investigation is fully closed.
