On 28 October, two high-speed trains – an AVE and an Iryo – travelling in opposite directions collided in the Spanish province of Toledo. A government delegation in Castile-La Mancha has reported at least 64 fatalities. Passengers may still be trapped in the damaged carriages, so the death toll could rise; a specialist canine unit is on its way to the scene of the accident.
Briefly about the main points
- The accident took place between Los Yebenes and Urda in the province of Toledo.
- Among the dead were 40 passengers on the Iryo and 24 passengers on the AVE.
- 58 people were taken to hospital, 15 of whom are in a critical condition.
- The high-speed rail service between Madrid and Andalusia has been suspended.
- ABC reported a possible error whilst working on the alarm system.
The trains were travelling towards each other on the line through Toledo
Accident The accident occurred at around 9.00 am between the towns of Los Ebenes and Urda in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The AVE train, operated by the state-owned company Renfe, was travelling from Madrid to Seville, whilst the private high-speed Iryo train was travelling in the opposite direction.
Following the collision, two Iryo carriages derailed. According to Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castile-La Mancha regional government, there were 147 people on board the Iryo and 397 passengers on the AVE.
The dead include passengers from both trains
A government delegation in Castile-La Mancha has confirmed that 40 passengers on the Iryo and 24 passengers on the AVE were killed. The regional president, Emiliano García-Pajé, suggested that these figures may change, as there may still be people trapped in the wrecked carriages.
Fifty-eight casualties were admitted to hospital, 15 of whom are in a critical condition. A further 50 people with minor injuries received treatment at hospitals in Urda and Consuegra.
High-speed traffic has been halted along the route and hospitals are being prepared
Adif, which manages Spain’s railway infrastructure, has suspended high-speed train services on the line between Madrid and Andalusia. Due to the scale of the accident, the natural disaster response team has been deployed.
The Ministry of Health has reported that the hospitals closest to the scene of the crash have been freeing up intensive care beds and operating theatres for the injured. A canine search team is also on its way to the scene of the collision to search for people amongst the wreckage of the carriages.
ABC reported a possible fault with the alarm system
The Spanish newspaper ABC, citing sources at the Ministry of Transport, reported that the accident may have been caused by human error. This is a preliminary explanation of the causes of the collision.
According to the publication, an employee of the state-owned company was repairing a fault in the main signalling system and allegedly failed to warn the AVE train driver that the Iryo train was approaching.
Passengers climbed out of the windows after a violent impact
Builder David Gomez, who was working with colleagues nearby, said that passengers were trying to get out through the windows. The workers cut through the fence to clear a path and helped people with the first-aid kits they had with them.
AVE passenger, television journalist Miguel Ángel Pérez Laguna, described a «very powerful impact» and said that the front of the train had been lifted into the air. Jorge Guales, who was travelling from Iryo to Córdoba, reported that his train had come to a halt a few minutes before the accident, after which there was a devastating crash and a loud rumble.
