By Karim Hammam
At least 30 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Toledo province, central Spain, on the line between Madrid and Seville, authorities said on Wednesday.
Collision details
The crash involved a state-owned Renfe train and a private Iryo service, both heading from Madrid to Seville. According to Castilla-La Mancha regional spokesperson Esther Padilla, the Renfe train ran into the rear of the stationary Iryo train, knocking two carriages off the track. The cause of the collision remains unknown.
Casualties and rescue efforts
The regional government initially reported 10 deaths but later revised the toll to 30, warning it could rise further. Footage from the scene showed twisted wreckage strewn across an embankment beneath an elevated track section. Miguel, a passenger in the rear car of one train, described hearing a massive roar and seeing a wrecked train through the window. Mayor Manuel Galán of Urda, near Toledo, said emergency services asked him to prepare a sports hall for the injured.
Political reactions
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed shock and said he was in constant contact with the transport minister and the Castilla-La Mancha president. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo voiced concern and pledged support for emergency teams. Both major parties suspended campaign activities ahead of next month's general election.
Previous incidents
Government sources told El País the crash could be worse than the Adamuz rail disaster in January, which killed 46 people. Trains from Renfe and Iryo were also involved in that earlier collision.
