Spain declares three days of mourning after high-speed train collision kills 68

A high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Seville collided with a stationary locomotive near the towns of Urda and Los Yebenes just before 9 a.m., killing at least 68 passengers and injuring 77 others. Renfe, Spain’s national rail operator, has opened an investigation while a judicial inquiry is expected to follow.

"All of Spain is mourning," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, adding that two major train disasters in one year are "not acceptable for a country like Spain."

Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the crash occurred after a Renfe train was ordered to proceed despite an active red signal caused by a computer communications failure. He described the order from the central command centre as "inexplicable" and said train engineers were not at fault.

Eyewitnesses described the impact as violent, with one passenger reporting that seats were thrown through the air and another describing the wreckage as a carriage split in half with victims trapped inside. Volunteers from the nearby town of Urda provided food, water and blankets to those affected.

The incident revives concerns raised after a similar collision on the same line in January, which killed 46 people. Opposition leaders and rail unions have called for a comprehensive, independent review of the rail network’s condition and safety systems. The tragedy comes weeks before Spain’s general election on November 29, and unions have planned a strike to protest the rail safety record.

European Commission data show that while Spain’s high-speed network has grown, investment in maintenance has lagged behind other European countries. Experts note that only about 16 % of annual spending on high-speed lines has been allocated to maintenance, compared with 33-39 % in Italy, Germany and France, raising concerns about long-term safety.