Spain's ADIF says cause of fatal Toledo train crash is still unknown
Officials confirm the death toll after a rear-end collision on the Madrid to Seville line, marking the second fatal rail disaster in Spain this year.
By Ariana Flores ·
At least 30 people died in central Spain on Wednesday when two high-speed trains collided. The Castilla La Mancha regional press office confirmed the figure to NBC News. The incident marks the second deadly train crash in the country this year.
ADIF, the state body managing Spain’s railway infrastructure, stated that the accident occurred just after 9 a.m. local time. This corresponds to 4 a.m. Eastern Time. The collision happened within Toledo province.
Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the Castilla La Mancha region, told state broadcaster TVE that both trains were traveling from Madrid to Seville. One train struck the rear of the other, which had stopped on the line. The impact knocked two cars of the stationary train off the tracks. Padilla said the cause of the crash remained unknown at the time of her comments.
Miguel, a passenger in the rear car of one train, described the moment of impact to Spain’s COPE radio. “We heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail,” he said. Through the right-hand window, he saw the wrecked train and assumed it was the other vehicle involved.
Officials reported that 397 people were aboard the state-owned Renfe train. The private Iryo train carried 147 passengers. Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda near Toledo, told TVE that emergency services asked him to prepare a local sports hall for the injured.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was deeply saddened by the event. In a post on X, Sanchez wrote that emergency services are working on-site to assist those affected. “My heartfelt sympathy, solidarity, and support go out to all the victims and their families,” Sanchez added.
Renfe established an emergency phone line for families of the victims. Iryo, an Italian-owned carrier, said it activated its security protocols and is working closely with authorities. The January crash on the same line between Madrid and Seville killed 45 people. That accident remains the deadliest in Spain since 2013.
