Spain declared three days of national mourning following a deadly train accident that occurred on October 28. In this incident, at least 68 people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this decision during a visit to the accident site near the city of Orda, stating: "All of Spain is in mourning."
Details of the Deadly Accident
The accident occurred when a high-speed train operated by Renfe collided with another train that was stopped. The incident took place at 9 AM on the line between Madrid and the southern city of Seville, near the towns of Mora and Orgaz. According to local officials, about 540 passengers were on board the two trains.
Currently, at least 107 people are hospitalized in the Castilla-La Mancha region, of which 18 are in critical condition. This accident is considered the deadliest rail incident in the European Union since 2013 and comes just 9 months after another accident with 46 casualties in southern Spain.
Reactions and Consequences
Prime Minister Sánchez stated in a televised address that "this horrific tragedy" will be investigated, and he committed to clarifying any potential shortcomings in the transportation system. Spain's Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, referred to the "inexplicable" decision of the operators to continue the high-speed train journey after a system error that led to this accident.
In the wake of this incident, all political parties, except for the right-wing Vox party, suspended their campaigns on Wednesday in honor of the victims. General elections in Spain are scheduled for November 29.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also canceled more than 20 matches, including Copa del Rey games scheduled for Wednesday, as a sign of respect for the victims. Football clubs expressed their condolences and solidarity on social media.
This deadly accident is the second rail incident in Spain this year. Spain's high-speed rail network, which is the largest in Europe, has not had any fatal accidents since it began operations in 1992, but fatal incidents have occurred elsewhere on the network this year.
