Survivors describe chaos after high-speed train collision in central Spain
At least 68 people were killed and dozens injured when a Renfe high-speed train struck a private Iryo train near Urda, prompting a large emergency response and survivor accounts.
A Renfe high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Seville collided with a private Iryo train near the town of Urda in Castilla-La Mancha on Wednesday morning, killing at least 68 people and injuring many more. Survivors described the impact as sudden and violent, with carriages thrown off the tracks and passengers thrown into the air.
Josimar Medina, a 37-year-old tourist from Peru, said he was thrown from his seat in the seventh carriage and saw numerous passengers with severe injuries, including limb loss and head trauma. He and his girlfriend, Vitoria Maia, escaped the wreckage and assisted other victims while waiting for medical teams and Guardia Civil officers to arrive.
The crash site, located amid vineyards and olive groves, was quickly turned into an emergency hub. A local sports centre served as a triage point, and vehicles from Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid converged on the area. Buses later transported the lightly injured to the centre.
“One guy was shouting: ‘Get out! Get out! Another train could hit!’” – Fredrich Barilea, a passenger on the Iryo train.
“It all happened in a split second. The table we were sitting at just disappeared in the crash. We’re very grateful.” – Arabella Barilea, also on the Iryo train.
Turkish tourist Ata Yelkaya, who was seated in carriage No 5, recalled waking up to the impact and helping other passengers evacuate. He said his prior experience with the 2023 earthquake in Turkey helped him remain calm.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the scene later in the day, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families. The incident follows a previous rail collision in January that killed 46 people, raising questions about safety on Spain’s high-speed network as a general election approaches.
Local residents have been providing food, water and support to those searching for missing relatives, while authorities begin investigations into the “inexplicable circumstances” that led to the collision.