At Least 10 Dead, Dozens Injured in Spain Train Collision
Two high-speed trains collided, causing derailments and suspending service on a major rail line.
At least 10 passengers were killed and multiple others injured when two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday. The incident led to the suspension of the rail line connecting Madrid with the southern Andalusia region, according to rail operator Adif.
The collision occurred around 9 a.m. local time between the towns of Mora and Orgaz. It involved a Renfe and an Iryo high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Seville. The crash caused two Iryo carriages to derail, with some plunging down an embankment. One of the derailed carriages caught fire.
Approximately 400 people were believed to be on board the two trains at the time of the collision. A government source indicated that the incident could be severe, referencing a previous rail crash in Adamuz, Spain, which resulted in 46 fatalities earlier this year.
Initially described as a head-on collision, subsequent information suggested the AVE high-speed train traveling to Seville from Madrid may have struck the other train from behind. Adif confirmed the suspension of traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line due to the rear-end collision.
Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda, a town near the central city of Toledo, stated that emergency services had requested preparation of a sports hall to accommodate the injured.