Spain declares three days of mourning after 68 die in Toledo rail crash

The olive groves near the small town of Urda in central Spain, usually quiet, became a site of intense rescue operations on Wednesday following a rear-end collision between two high-speed trains. The accident, which occurred at 8:53 a.m., killed 68 people and sent dozens more to hospitals, marking the second deadly incident on the country's rail network in less than six months.

Spain's high-speed rail system, the second largest in the world by track mileage, had not seen a fatal crash since its launch more than three decades ago. This week's disaster occurred just four weeks before the nation's first general election since 2023. The collision involved a state-owned RENFE train and a privately operated IRYO train. Both carriers have been part of the system since Spain liberalized its rail market in 2021.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived at the scene in Toledo province after regional officials confirmed the high death toll. He pledged a full investigation and promised upgrades to prevent future tragedies. "It is clear that we need to reinforce the safety of our train service to rebuild the trust in our high-speed rail," Sánchez said. He noted that it is unacceptable for a country like Spain to endure two high-speed train accidents in the same year.

The government declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday. The crash follows a January incident in southern Spain where 46 people died after a train jumped its tracks and struck another. Last year, the network carried 45 million travelers, a number that includes millions of tourists.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente provided technical details, stating that the crash resulted from an order issued by a central command center rather than driver error. A computer malfunction caused a 63-kilometer security system to fail at 8:30 a.m., stopping all trains. The IRYO train remained stationary near Urda, while the RENFE train was 25 kilometers behind. Minutes later, command ordered the RENFE train to resume movement without speed restrictions, despite an active stop signal, leading to the impact.

Political reactions sharpened as election campaigns continued. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Popular Party, called for a thorough investigation and stated his party canceled campaign events to respect the victims. "This is the moment to respect the dead, the injured and their families," Feijóo said. He added that Spaniards are asking tough questions that demand answers.

Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, used the tragedy to attack the governing coalition. "More dead. Another tragedy. More rage over being left to fend for ourselves," Abascal said hours after the crash. He vowed to work until the government, which he called a criminal organization, answered for its actions in court. Puente told reporters he was focused on managing the collision rather than deciding whether to resign.

Emergency workers, including firefighters, police, and soldiers, worked through the day to recover bodies and rescue survivors. Cranes began removing damaged sections of the trains late Wednesday, concluding a day of heavy response efforts in the Toledo province.