At least 68 people dead in Spain’s second major train crash this year

A truck crane at the site of a train crash between two high-speed units, a Renfe AVE train and an Iryo train, in the province of Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday | AFP-jiji

Reuters

Oct 29, 2026

URDA, Spain – At least 68 people died after a Spanish high-speed express slammed into a stationary train on Wednesday, with rescuers scouring mangled carriages for more bodies after Spain’s second fatal rail crash this year and Europe’s deadliest since 2013.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said “all of Spain” was in mourning after the collision, which the transport minister said happened after a Renfe service was authorized to proceed despite an active red signal due to a stationary train ahead.

Oscar Puente told reporters in Madrid that the red signal was issued due to a computer communications failure, which automatically stopped traffic, but an erroneous decision was then taken to restart the Renfe train.

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