Train collision near Urda: at least 64 dead in Spain
A Renfe train collided with an Iryo train on the Madrid-Seville line. Regional authorities report 64 dead and 80 injured, and the toll could still rise.
At least 64 people were killed and 80 injured when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, in Toledo province south of Madrid, authorities in the Castilla-La Mancha region said on Wednesday, October 28. The death toll more than doubled over the morning, from an initial 31 to 64, and officials warn that even this is not the final figure.
“We are talking about roughly 64 (dead), but that will probably still rise”
Castilla-La Mancha regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page told reporters at the scene. It is one of the deadliest rail accidents in Spain, and the second major one this year.
What exactly happened near Urda?
A Renfe train and an Iryo train (service 6076), both running on the Madrid-Seville route, collided on a straight stretch with good visibility. Spain’s Transport Ministry said the crash happened at about 8:30 a.m. at kilometer 118, while Euronews gives 8:54 and RTE says shortly after nine. Sources differ on the exact minute, but agree that it was morning and that the last two cars of the Iryo train left the rails.
According to regional government spokeswoman Ester Padilla, the Iryo train carried 147 passengers and the Renfe train 397. The Transport Ministry puts the Iryo figure at 146 passengers, including one baby.
What is known about the cause?
The cause has not been officially established. Infrastructure manager Adif described the crash on X as a collision in which one train hit another from behind, and preliminary findings from the investigation suggest the Renfe train probably struck the rear of the Iryo train. A person familiar with the accident told RTE that, according to that unofficial information, the Iryo train was standing at a signal when the Renfe train hit it. That claim has no official confirmation.
High-speed rail traffic between Madrid and Andalusia has been suspended in both directions. “Traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line has been suspended,” Adif said. Iryo canceled all departures from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha station on the southern corridor and has no estimate of when service will resume.
What do survivors and rescuers say?
Dozens of emergency vehicles and helicopters are at the scene. The Civil Guard sent special units, drones and forensic teams trained for major disasters. Urda mayor Manuel Galan told Cadena SER radio that emergency services asked the municipality to prepare space for passengers and the injured, including a sports hall.
Miguel, a passenger in the rear car of one of the trains, described the moment of impact to COPE radio:
“We heard a huge rumble, a truly terrifying jolt that lasted ten seconds, as if the train was going to leave the tracks.”
Eduarda, a passenger on the Iryo train, told Cadena SER she felt a violent jolt that threw her forward and at first thought the train had braked hard. Only when she saw the injured and was told to evacuate did she grasp the scale of the crash. By her account, emergency services arrived in about 20 minutes. “I saw dead people,” she said.
Health Minister Monica Garcia said the government is mobilizing all available resources: “We are mobilizing all the means at our disposal and coordinating with all the relevant institutions.”
Reactions and context
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that he was shaken, that he was in constant contact with Transport Minister Oscar Puente and the president of Castilla-La Mancha, and that he sent the victims and their families “compassion, solidarity and support.” He canceled all his engagements for the day, and the People’s Party canceled all its campaign rallies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “Europe mourns,” while French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity.
The crash comes nine months after the collision at Adamuz in Cordoba province, in which 46 people died in January. In that accident one train derailed and struck a train coming from the opposite direction, and it opened a debate about investment in track maintenance. According to Spain’s rail safety body, the number of accidents, including derailments and collisions, rose from 45 in 2016 to 57 in 2024 and 69 last year. European Commission data show that from 2018 to 2022 Spain spent about 1.5 billion euros a year on its high-speed network, more than any other country, but only about 16 percent of that went to maintenance, renewal and upgrades.
Renfe has opened a dedicated line for victims’ families and expressed condolences, and Iryo has activated its emergency protocols. Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the wreckage near Urda.
