In brief
A collision between a Renfe AVE train and a stationary Iryo carriage at Urda on October 28, 2026 resulted in at least 68 deaths and dozens of injuries, including two South Korean passengers. Spanish officials are probing the incident, citing possible control and signalling failures, while foreign leaders have issued condolences and the national government declared three days of mourning.
A high‑speed train operated by Spain’s Renfe AVE struck a stationary Iryo carriage on the Madrid‑Seville line near the town of Urda in Toledo province on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens more. Two South Korean nationals on the trains were reported by Seoul’s foreign ministry as injured, one sustaining minor wounds and later discharged, the other remaining hospitalized.
According to the Korea foreign ministry, 11 South Korean passengers were confirmed aboard the two trains involved in the crash as of 6:40 a.m. Thursday. While one of the injured passengers recovered sufficiently to leave hospital care, the other remains in treatment, the ministry said. The South Korean embassy in Spain has maintained close contact with local authorities and is still monitoring for other potential casualties.
Spanish authorities say the collision occurred when the Renfe high‑speed train slammed into the rear of the Iryo carriage that had stopped earlier on the same track. The impact derailed two carriages and sent them rolling onto an embankment. The incident happened at about 4 a.m. local time, a period when traffic on the Madrid‑Seville line is typically light.
Investigation and Possible Causes
The crash is under investigation by Spanish railway safety investigators and transport authorities. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning from October 29 to 31 and pledged a full investigation. He warned of possible negligence and system failures, stating “if there was negligence, it will be revealed, and if there were system failures, there will be a strong response.”
Transport minister Oscar Puente said a computer failure had initially halted six moving trains, including the two that collided, along a 40‑mile stretch of track. He added that the control centre had allowed the Renfe train to move again without speed restrictions, despite a remaining red signal. Puente described the decision as made “under inexplicable circumstances.”
Spanish trade union CSIF has called for Puente’s resignation, labeling his comments as scapegoating a hardworking person. The union said it had warned of “excess hours in Adif’s working days” in September and urged the government to respect the presumption of innocence for the head of traffic at Adif.
In a separate interview, journalist Graham Keeley of Al Jazeera noted that the crash occurred amidst an election a month away, noting that passengers were commuters and tourists travelling between Madrid and Seville. He added that the crash “comes at an awful time” for the government’s public image.
Casualty Numbers and International Response
Initial reports put the death toll at 68, but a later preliminary report by Spain’s independent transport accident investigation authority AITAT updated the figure to 74 on October 29. The figure remains provisional, with many injuries still unconfirmed.
The number of injured is reported to be around 100, with roughly 80 having sustained a serious condition. A Reuters page recorded that “more than 50 are hospitalized, with 15 of them in critical condition.”
In addition to South Korea, Japanese officials have indicated that two Japanese nationals may have been aboard the trains, according to Kyodo News, which said the foreign ministry was “checking on their safety.” No confirmed injuries to Japanese passengers have been reported.
The United Arab Emirates sent condolence messages from President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to King Felipe VI, the Spanish public, and the families of victims. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also expressed sympathy to the Spanish Prime Minister and King, and the two countries discussed strengthening bilateral relations.
Response and Ongoing Operations
Spanish rescuers have been combing the wreckage as of the next day, with more than 300 personnel on scene, according to Reuters. They are hoping to locate survivors amid twisted rails and shattered carriages. The rail operator Renfe announced the suspension of services between Madrid and the Andalusian region while the damaged track sections are repaired.
Emergency operators, including the Military Emergencies Unit, have worked through the night under floodlights. Town councils of nearby Los Yebenes reported they had collected food and supplies for those affected. Spain’s National Institute of Transport Accident Investigation (AITAT) is collecting forensic evidence and interviewing witnesses to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
Prime Minister Sánchez, speaking from the crash site, called for stronger safety measures, citing the first major high‑speed rail crash this year and
