Spain Train Crash Claims Young Athlete, Former Minister Among 69 Victims
An outpouring of grief follows a deadly collision between two trains near Urda, which also injured over 100 people.
A catastrophic train crash in central Spain on Wednesday morning has resulted in 69 fatalities and left over 100 people injured, many seriously. Among the confirmed victims are Julieta Gallego, a 24-year-old long-jump athlete, and Fátima Báñez, a 59-year-old former employment minister.
The collision occurred between a high-speed Renfe train and a stationary Iryo train on the same track near the town of Urda. The impact caused several carriages to derail, and authorities fear the death toll may still rise as families search for missing relatives in local hospitals. The bodies of the deceased have been transported to the main forensics institute in Toledo for identification, with families providing DNA samples.
This incident marks the second rail disaster in Spain this year and is the country's deadliest since 2013.
Victims Remembered
Julieta Gallego, a promising long jumper representing the Madrid athletics club AD Sprint, was a regular competitor in Spanish club championships. Her club expressed heartbreak on Instagram, and the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEF) confirmed her death, extending condolences to her loved ones. Raúl Chapado, president of RFEF, described her passing as a blow to the heart of the athletics community, lamenting the loss of a young life prematurely extinguished.
Fátima Báñez, who served as employment minister from 2011 to 2018 under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, was leading the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) at the time of her death. The CEOE noted her warmth, generosity, and commitment. Báñez was notable as the first woman to hold the employment minister position and introduced controversial labor reforms in 2012. Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso paid tribute, calling her a "great political figure" who would be deeply missed.
Other identified victims include José Manuel Chacón, a 31-year-old Civil Guard officer, whose death was confirmed by the agency with deepest condolences. Antonio Montero Domínguez, a finance and tax lawyer, was remembered as a meticulous professional and tireless worker by the legal news website El Derecho. He had previously served as an inspector for Spain's tax authority.