MADRID — Spain has declared three days of national mourning following a high-speed train collision that killed at least 68 people and injured dozens of others, raising fresh concerns about railway safety in the European country.
The crash occurred on Wednesday in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha when a train operated by state-owned Renfe collided with the rear of a stationary train belonging to private operator Iryo on the Madrid-to-Seville route.
The collision derailed several carriages, leaving mangled metal scattered across the crash site near Urda, in Toledo province. Emergency workers, firefighters, police officers and soldiers worked through the night to rescue survivors and recover bodies from the wreckage.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the mourning period beginning Thursday and pledged a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
He also called for measures to strengthen railway safety, saying the country could not afford to experience two deadly high-speed train accidents in the same year.
The latest collision is Spain’s second major fatal rail disaster in 2026. In January, another collision involving high-speed trains in the southern region of Andalusia killed 46 people.
Safety System Failure Under Investigation
Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, said a computer malfunction had disrupted an automatic railway safety system along a stretch of track, forcing trains in the affected area to stop.
According to Puente, the central railway control center subsequently authorized the Renfe train to resume its journey without speed restrictions, despite a stop signal remaining active on the line.
The train travelled approximately 25 kilometers before striking the stationary Iryo train.
Puente described the decision to resume traffic under those circumstances as inexplicable, adding that investigators were examining the sequence of events leading to the collision.
He said the train drivers were not responsible for the incident, although the investigation is expected to establish how the control-system failure and subsequent instructions contributed to the crash.
Families Await News of Missing Relatives
As rescue operations continued, families gathered at support centers near the crash site to seek information about passengers whose whereabouts remained unknown.
The Civil Guard established offices in Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba and Seville to collect DNA samples and assist in identifying victims.
Red Cross workers and psychologists were also deployed to support bereaved families and survivors dealing with the emotional consequences of the disaster.
Authorities organized blood donation points in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha to support the injured, while emergency teams continued examining the wreckage for additional victims.
The collision involved hundreds of passengers travelling on the two trains, and the scale of the destruction complicated rescue and identification efforts.
Fresh Questions Over Railway Safety
The latest disaster has intensified scrutiny of Spain’s high-speed railway network, which has long been regarded as one of the most extensive in Europe.
Both fatal train collisions recorded in the country this year involved Renfe and Iryo services, prompting renewed calls for stronger safety measures and improved maintenance of railway infrastructure.
Railway workers’ representatives have also raised concerns about whether increased traffic on the network has been matched by sufficient investment in maintenance and safety systems.
The government has promised a thorough investigation into the latest collision, while emergency services continue supporting victims and their families.
As Spain observes three days of national mourning, flags are being flown at half-mast and public events are being cancelled or scaled back in tribute to those who lost their lives.