By Salma El-Sakka
A high-speed train collision near Urda in central Spain on Wednesday morning killed 69 people and injured more than 100, many seriously. The crash involved a Renfe train and a stationary Iryo train on the same track, causing carriages to derail. Authorities fear the death toll may rise as families search for missing relatives.
Victims identified
Among the dead are 24-year-old long jumper Julieta Gallego, who competed for Madrid athletics club AD Sprint, and former employment minister Fátima Báñez, 59, who served under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy from 2011 to 2018. The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEF) confirmed Gallego's death, calling it a blow to the athletics family. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), which Báñez chaired, praised her warmth and commitment.
Other confirmed deaths
Civil Guard officer José Manuel Chacón, 31, was also killed, the force said in a statement. Finance and tax lawyer Antonio Montero Domínguez, a former tax inspector, was remembered as a meticulous professional by legal publication El Derecho and Spain's tax authority.
Investigation and aftermath
The bodies have been taken to the main forensics institute in Toledo, where families are providing DNA samples for identification. The crash is Spain's second rail disaster this year and the deadliest since 2013. Leaked audio recordings are being examined as part of the investigation into the cause.
