By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Families desperately searched for missing relatives on Thursday, more than 24 hours after two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, killing at least 69 people and injuring dozens.
Desperate Search for Loved Ones
Relatives gathered at a religious center in Toledo converted into a support base, braving cold weather as they awaited news. César Vicente, an actor from Seville, traveled 495 kilometers to find his father, who was seated in 13A on the RENFE train that struck a stationary Iryo service. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone. This is unbearable,” Vicente said.
Online Appeals and Official Response
On social media, families posted photos and details of missing passengers, including seat numbers and clothing descriptions. Alejandra Marroquín said her sister Adriana was in car 8 of the RENFE train and remained uncontacted. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged the government’s full effort to support victims’ families, investigate the tragedy, and improve rail safety.
Community Mobilization and Blood Donations
In the nearby town of Urda, residents rushed to assist, transporting uninjured passengers to a sports pavilion and providing first aid. Construction worker David Gómez described helping survivors escape through windows before emergency services arrived. With 180 people injured, authorities called for blood donations, prompting more than 2,000 volunteers in the Castilla-La Mancha region alone.
Second High-Speed Rail Disaster This Year
The collision marks Spain’s second deadly high-speed rail accident in 2026. In January, 46 people died when a train derailed and struck another in southern Spain. The network, the world’s second-largest after China’s, had not recorded a fatal crash in over three decades before this year.
