The collision of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Wednesday morning resulted in at least 68 fatalities. The crash occurred when one high-speed train collided with another train that was stopped on the tracks. Regional officials reported that 58 others also required treatment at the hospital.
Details of the Incident
This accident happened near the town of Orda in the province of Toledo, about 140 kilometers south of Madrid. Both trains were traveling from Madrid to Seville. The Renfe high-speed train collided with the rear section of the stopped Irio train, causing two carriages to derail.
Oscar Puente, Spain's Minister of Transport, announced that a computer malfunction disabled the safety system around 8:30 AM, which is why the trains stopped in a 63-kilometer section. Then, a central control center gave the Renfe train an "inexplicable" order to continue moving without speed restrictions, while the stop signal remained active. This train collided with the Irio train at 8:53 AM.
Consequences of the Accident
The Minister of Transport emphasized that the train drivers are not at fault, and investigations are examining the speed at the time of the collision. According to regulations, these trains could have been traveling at 200 kilometers per hour. Images released from the scene show at least two train carriages severely damaged and on their side.
According to the regional government, the Renfe train had 397 passengers and the Irio train had 147 passengers. Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, has expressed being "shocked" by the incident and posted on social media that emergency services are working on the ground to assist the victims and ensure their safety.
This accident occurred just a few months after another rail disaster near Adamuz in Andalusia in January, where 46 people lost their lives and over 150 were injured. This incident has affected public trust in Spain's extensive high-speed rail network. The recent accident is the deadliest rail incident in Spain since the 2013 crash that killed 80 people.
