Six Canadians Injured and One Missing After Spain High-Speed Train Collision
Global Affairs Canada confirmed six Canadians were injured and a seventh remains missing following a high-speed rail crash in central Spain that left at least 68 dead.
Six Canadians were injured and a seventh remains unaccounted for after two high-speed trains collided in the province of Toledo, central Spain, on Wednesday morning. The accident occurred just before 9 a.m. local time when a RENFE-operated train struck the rear of a stationary IRYO train, derailing carriages from both trains. Spanish officials reported at least 68 fatalities and 58 people receiving treatment in local hospitals.
Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Thida Ith said the department has confirmed the six injured Canadians and is working with local authorities to locate the missing passenger. “Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones as well as all of those affected,” Ith said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed Canada’s solidarity with the victims and pledged assistance, while Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said he had contacted his Spanish counterpart and thanked emergency responders and medical teams for their work.
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente attributed the crash to an “inexplicable” order from the central command centre after a security system failure forced all trains on a 63-kilometre stretch to stop. He said the RENFE train was instructed to resume travel without speed restrictions despite an active stop signal, leading to the collision at 8:53 a.m.
Rail service between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia was suspended pending investigation. The crash site, located between the towns of Urda and Los Yebenes, showed extensive damage to the train carriages.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three days of national mourning and called for enhanced safety measures for the high-speed rail network, noting that the country has experienced two fatal high-speed accidents within ten months.