In brief
A collision between a Renfe high‑speed train and a stationary Iryo carriage near Urda, Toledo province, caused at least 68 deaths and many injuries, including two South Korean passengers—one with minor injuries and the other hospitalized. The accident has prompted a state‑wide mourning period, investigations into a possible rail control error, and international condolences from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
A high‑speed train operated by Renfe crashed into the rear of a stationary Iryo train near the town of Urda in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday morning, killing at least 68 people and injuring many more.
South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed that two Korean nationals were on the trains involved. One passenger sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital after treatment, while the other remains in hospital, the ministry said, and its embassy is "maintaining close contact with local authorities and checking for any additional Korean casualties."
Foreign‑ministry officials in Tokyo and several other countries have reported that nationals from Japan and Bulgaria may have been aboard, but their status remains unconfirmed.
The death toll reported by Spanish authorities has varied: Yonhap and Al Jazeera list 68 fatalities, UPI mentions 69, and Xinhua’s recent preliminary report from the independent transport investigation agency AITAT lifted the figure to 74. The toll is still provisional as investigators continue to recover victims.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the wreck site and declared three days of national mourning from 29 to 31 October. He said, "Spain is in mourning," and promised a full investigation into what he called an "inexplicable" control‑center decision that allowed the Renfe train to depart with a red signal in effect. Transport Minister Oscar Puente referred to a computer failure that paused six trains, after which the control centre cleared the Renfe train to proceed without speed limits.
Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit, local police and hospital crews have been working overnight to search the wreckage and evacuate injured passengers. The rail operators Renfe and Iryo have suspended service on the Madrid‑Seville line and are cooperating with investigators.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia sent condolences to Spanish leaders; UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both offered messages of sympathy and wishes for a swift recovery of the injured.
