Ten killed as Madrid-Seville trains collide near Toledo

Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people. The crash occurred between a Renfe service and an Iryo train traveling from Madrid to Seville. Officials in the Castilla La Mancha region confirmed the initial death toll.

Esther Padilla, the regional spokeswoman, stated that the number of fatalities will likely increase. ADIF, the state agency managing Spain's railway infrastructure, reported the accident happened just after 9 a.m. local time. The location was between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in Toledo province. The line connecting Madrid to the southern Andalusia region is suspended.

A government spokesperson for the region told Reuters that two Iryo wagons derailed during the impact. Emergency teams are still determining the exact cause and the full count of dead and injured. Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda, a town near Toledo, said emergency services asked him to prepare a local sports hall. The facility will accommodate the injured passengers.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was deeply saddened by the accident. He wrote on X that emergency services are working on-site to assist those affected. Sanchez coordinated with relevant authorities to ensure safety. He extended his sympathy and support to the victims and their families.

This is the second major rail disaster in Spain in ten months. In January, 45 people died when a train derailed and struck an oncoming service in the south. That crash was the deadliest in the country since 2013, when 80 people perished. Spain operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe for trains moving above 155 mph. The system covers more than 1,900 miles of track, according to the European Union.