Spain high-speed train collision near Toledo kills 68, injures dozens

A high-speed passenger train operated by Renfe collided with a stationary Iryo train near Toledo, killing at least 68 people and seriously injuring 68 others, according to regional authorities. The crash occurred on the Madrid-Seville corridor, where roughly 397 passengers were aboard the Renfe train and about 150 on the Iryo train.

Emiliano García-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, reported that 15 of the injured are in critical condition. Spain’s rail infrastructure manager Adif confirmed the involvement of the two operators and said all traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia route has been halted pending investigation.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the site and said Spain’s rail safety systems must be strengthened. > "If there has been negligence, it will come to light. If there have been failures in the safety system, we will respond with the utmost firmness," he said, adding that three days of official mourning were declared.

Transportation ministry spokesman Isaac Barrientos said initial reports indicated that two carriages of the Iryo train had derailed. Transportation minister José Puente explained that an automatic train control system failed around 8:30 a.m., disabling safety monitoring over a 39-mile stretch. He said a control center in Madrid authorized the Renfe train to resume travel despite another train being ahead, a decision that protocol would normally have prohibited.

Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo expressed concern on social media, emphasizing support for emergency teams and victims' families, and the Popular Party suspended its campaign events nationwide.

The incident follows a January collision involving the same operators that left 46 dead, for which a broken rail has been cited as a possible cause.