By Salma El-Sakka
At least 69 people were killed and more than 100 injured when two high-speed trains collided near the town of Urda in Toledo province, Spain, on Wednesday, in the country's second deadly high-speed rail crash this year.
Former minister among victims
Former employment and social security minister Fátima Báñez, who served in government from 2011 to 2018, is feared dead after travelling on the derailed Iryo train. Sources close to Báñez, who currently chairs the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organizations (CEOE), confirmed she was in one of the worst-affected carriages. Her former People's Party (PP) also confirmed she was onboard.
Rescue operations continue
Emergency crews worked through the night using cranes to lift wreckage in the rural crash site. Regional leader Emiliano García-Page said the death toll rose to 69 after human remains were found overnight. A canine unit was deployed to ensure no victims remain trapped, while authorities cautioned that the final count may change.
Spain's fourth deadly train crash this year
The collision between a Renfe AVE train and an Iryo train marks Spain's fourth fatal train accident in 2026. Rescue teams continue to search the twisted wreckage carefully, with one carriage still overturned. Officials said they do not expect more fatalities beneath it but remain cautious.
