In brief
On Oct. 28, a high‑speed Renfe AVE train struck a stationary Iryo train near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province, killing at least 68 people and injuring about 80. The crash prompted international condolences and a national mourning period, while officials in Spain investigate a possible rail‑control error. Two South Korean passengers were among those injured; reports also suggest there may have been Japanese nationals aboard.
A high‑speed train collision near the town of Urda in Toledo province on Wednesday, October 28, left at least 68 people dead and more than 70 injured while the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two South Korean nationals were among those hospitalized. The crash involved a Renfe AVE train traveling from Madrid to Seville that collided with an Iryo high‑speed carriage that lay stationary on the main line, according to a report by Yonhap and corroborated by Al Jazeera.
Video footage broadcast by Spanish national broadcaster TVE shows the moment the moving Renfe train slammed into the rear of the unmoving Iryo train, derailing two carriages and sending the couplings over a nearby embankment. The first‑hand accounts of the accident on the train station’s social‑media feeds described a cloud of smoke and a “screaming” sound that echoed through the tracks; emergency responders arrived within minutes to clear the wreckage and provide medical care.
The Spanish transport minister, Oscar Puente, said the collision had been caused by an “inexplicable” decision at a rail‑control center, which reportedly allowed the Renfe train to depart despite a red signal that should have held the train. Puente described the incident as “truly unbelievable” and said that a computer failure had paused six moving trains, including the two that collided, along a 40‑mile stretch of track. The control center later cleared the Renfe train to move again without speed restrictions, leading to the crash, Puente told reporters in Madrid.
“The control centre decided to allow the Renfe train to move again without speed restrictions, despite a remaining red light,” Puente said.
Other officials have offered differing interpretations of the cause. A UPI investigation centred on traffic controllers and the failure of an automatic safety system. The audio recordings released by Spanish media showed a train driver receiving clearance from the rail‑control centre in Madrid to proceed, although a stalled train lay approximately 15 miles ahead. The recordings further indicated that an automated system—meant to stop trains if another was in front—had been offline, allowing the failing signal to be overridden. Critics of the government have charged that the incident reflects systemic safety deficiencies, while some engineers caution that “human error” may also be involved.
The crash has drawn sympathy from leaders across the globe. The United Arab Emirates’ president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a message of condolence to King Felipe VI and the families of the victims, wishing a swift recovery for those injured. The UAE’s vice presidents, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, also extended similar messages of support. Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a cable of condolences to the Spanish king, expressing deep sympathy for the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded. These statements are indicative of the international community’s heightened sense of empathy prompted by the scale of the tragedy.
South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed that two of its citizens were among the injured. According to Seoul officials, one passenger sustained minor injuries and was discharged after treatment, while the other remained hospitalized. An additional eleven South Korean nationals were confirmed aboard the two trains, the ministry said. The ministry’s spokesperson added that it would maintain close contact with Spanish authorities and continue to monitor the wellbeing of all Korean passengers. Meanwhile, reports from kyodonews suggested that two Japanese nationals might also have been on board, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo checking on their status. No official statement from Japanese officials has yet confirmed the presence or safety of the suspected passengers.
Spanish authorities have declared a three‑day period of national mourning in response to the loss of life. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking from the crash site in Urda, said the government would observe days 29 to 31 as a time for grief, and urged that the tragedy be investigated thoroughly. “If there was negligence, it will be revealed, and if there were system failures, there will be a strong response,” Sánchez said. The letter from King Felipe VI, released later, expressed that the king
