30 Killed in Spain as Two High-Speed Trains Collide on Madrid-Seville Line

Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people. The crash occurred just after 9 a.m. local time in Toledo province. ADIF, the state agency managing Spain's railway infrastructure, confirmed the incident in a statement posted on X. The death toll was verified by the press office for the Castilla La Mancha region.

Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the Castilla La Mancha region, told state broadcaster TVE that both trains were traveling from Madrid to Seville in the same direction. One train struck the rear of the other, which had stopped on the line. The impact knocked two cars from the stationary train off the track. Padilla stated that the cause of the collision remained unknown.

Miguel, a passenger in the rear car of one of the trains, described the moment of impact to Spain’s COPE radio. He reported hearing a massive roar followed by an enormous thud lasting ten seconds. He noted that the train felt as if it were about to derail. Through the right-hand window, he observed the wrecked vehicle, which he believed was the other train.

Ridership figures show 397 people were aboard the state-owned Renfe train and 147 on the private Iryo train. Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda, a municipality near Toledo, told TVE that emergency services requested he prepare a local sports hall to accommodate the injured. Renfe established an emergency phone line for families of the victims. Iryo, an Italian-owned operator, said it activated security protocols and is working closely with authorities.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed that he was deeply saddened by the accident. He wrote on X that emergency services are working on-site to assist those affected and ensure their safety in coordination with relevant authorities. Sanchez offered his heartfelt sympathy and solidarity to the victims and their families.

This is the second deadly crash on this specific route this year. In January, a high-speed train run by Renfe jumped the track and hit an oncoming Iryo train on the same Madrid to Seville line. That collision left 45 people dead in southern Spain. The January accident was the deadliest in the country since a 2013 crash that killed 80 people.

Spain operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe for trains moving more than 155 mph. According to the European Union, the network includes more than 1,900 miles of track. The January and Wednesday collisions highlight the frequency of severe accidents on this corridor.