In brief
A collision between a Renfe and an Iryo high‑speed train near Urda on October 28 2026 left 68 dead and dozens injured, including two South Koreans. Spanish officials are investigating a presumed signalling failure, while Cuban, Saudi, and UAE leaders issued condolences. The incident has spurred calls for stricter safety checks and the declaration of a national mourning period.
On Wednesday, a high‑speed train collision near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province left at least 68 people dead and injured dozens, including two South Korean nationals.
According to Al Jazeera, an AVE train operated by Renfe struck a stationary Iryo train on the Madrid‑Seville line, derailing two carriages and forcing an emergency evacuation; the hit caused the rear carriages to fall off an embankment.
The Korea foreign ministry confirmed that one of the injured passengers suffered minor injuries and was discharged after treatment, while the other remains hospitalized, as the ministry monitors for any additional casualties.
Spanish transport officials said a computer failure had prompted the Renfe train to depart despite a red signal, a decision that was later described by Minister Oscar Puente as a “clear and inexplicable error.” The crash is under investigation for possible signalling and staffing negligence.
President Pedro Sánchez declared three days of official mourning from October 29 to 31, saying the country was “in grief.”
Pedro Sánchez
“Today the whole of Spain is grieving.”
King Felipe VI expressed his sorrow in a statement, and Prime Minister Sánchez added, “We will get to the bottom of this, and if there was negligence, it will be revealed.”
Amid the tragedy, leaders from the UAE and Saudi Arabia sent messages of condolence to King Felipe VI, wishing a swift recovery for the injured and expressing solidarity with Spanish families.
Further responses include calls for accountability from Spain’s trade union CSIF, which has demanded the resignation of Transport Minister Oscar Puente, and continued search operations by emergency crews working under flood lights.
International attention has also focused on potential foreign nationals aboard the trains; Japan’s foreign ministry indicates that two Japanese passengers may have been present, while Bulgaria confirmed no Bulgarians were injured.
Local authorities in Toledo’s town of Urda have gathered supplies for those affected, and rail service between Madrid and Seville remains suspended as investigators piece together the chain of events.
