By Sohaib Shams
Spain has begun three days of national mourning after a catastrophic train collision killed at least 68 people and injured dozens more, marking one of Europe's worst rail disasters in recent history.
Rescue operations continue
Emergency crews worked through the night under floodlights to cut open mangled carriages and recover victims, with many bodies still unidentified. Hundreds of personnel, supported by drones and helicopters, have been deployed to the site near Toledo, according to the interior ministry.
Cause under investigation
The crash occurred Wednesday morning when a high-speed Renfe train traveling from Madrid to Seville slammed into a stationary Iryo train that had stopped due to a computer failure. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a Madrid control centre made an "inexplicable" decision to authorize movement without speed restrictions. Audio recordings suggest the moving train was cleared despite the stalled train ahead.
Political fallout and protests
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared the nation grieving, calling the loss immense. Most political parties suspended election campaigning, except the far-right Vox, whose leader Santiago Abascal refused to join what he called using mourning to silence criticism of rail infrastructure. Around 1,500 protesters gathered outside the Transport Ministry in Madrid, demanding resignations of Sánchez and Puente; police used tear gas after bottles and flares were thrown.
Strike and safety concerns
The Spanish Union of Railway Drivers (Semaf) confirmed a planned strike Thursday to defend railway safety. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo demanded transparency on infrastructure failures. The Civil Guard has set up bureaus in four cities to identify missing persons and collect DNA samples. EU flags flew at half-mast in Brussels in solidarity.
