At least 64 dead as two high-speed trains collide in Spain

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - MADRID — At least 30 people were killed ‌when two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, the second deadly accident in less than a year on the line connecting Madrid to the ​southern Andalusia region, regional authorities said.

Footage from regional Castilla-La ​Mancha Television showed a derailed train with at least one ⁠carriage remaining on an elevated section of track while twisted ​metal, broken panels and wreckage could be seen strewn across an ​embankment beneath the line.

The crash involved a train from Spain’s state-owned Renfe company and the private rail company Iryo. It appeared the Renfe train had rammed into the Iryo service, Spanish media reported.

Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha region, told the state broadcaster TVE that the collision was between two high-speed trains carrying hundreds of passengers and heading in the same direction from the capital, Madrid, to Seville in the south-west.

One ran into the rear of the other, which had stopped, knocking two of its carriages off the track, she said, adding that the cause of the crash was not yet known.

The ⁠collision comes nine months after an accident between high-speed trains belonging to the same operators on the ​same line.

That crash in January, ​which ⁠occurred after a train derailed and smashed into an oncoming train near Adamuz, in Cordoba province, triggered a debate about the level of ⁠investment in ​railway maintenance in recent years.

Government sources told El País Wednesday's crash could be worse than the Adamuz rail disaster in January in which 46 people were killed.

Manuel Galán, the mayor ​of ​Urda near the ​city of Toledo, said he had ​been ‌asked by ​emergency ​services to prepare a sports hall to accommodate the injured.

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," he said.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed shock at news of the crash. “I remain in constant contact with the transport minister, and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha,” he said in a post on X.

“Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations. My love, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families.”

The opposition People’s party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, said 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.”

Castilla-la Mancha regional government said the death toll had risen to 30 from 10 ​after earlier warning ​it could rise.

Spain’s main political parties, which are gearing up for next month’s general election, suspended their planned activities for the day.