At least 64 people were killed in Spain on Wednesday when two high-speed trains collided in the central region of the country, prompting the immediate suspension of the vital rail corridor connecting Madrid to the southern Andalusia region.
The disaster occurred just after 9 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) when a Renfe high-speed train and an Iryo train were traveling from Madrid to Seville. According to state rail operator Adif, the accident involved a rear-end collision between the two passenger services.
Local authorities reported that the impact caused two wagons of the Iryo train to derail. The crash took place along the tracks situated between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in the Castilla-La Mancha region. Emergency services rushed to the remote section of the line to manage the rescue operation.
Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda near the central city of Toledo, confirmed that emergency responders had contacted him to prepare a local sports hall to accommodate the injured as hospitals braced for casualties. Government spokespersons in Castilla-La Mancha stated that while rescue efforts were underway, investigations into the precise cause of the collision remained ongoing.
Adif announced that all traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line would remain suspended indefinitely as crews inspect the damaged infrastructure and clear the derailed carriages from the tracks.
