Spain rail crash leaves at least 39 people dead after high speed Toledo collision
Dozens of people are feared dead following a 'serious' crash between two high-speed trains in Spain.
Reports claim that at least 39 people have been killed following the incident in Toldeo on Wednesday (28 October), which took place just after 9am local time.
Hundreds of commuters are said to have been travelling on the trains before a 'rear-end collision', which sent carriages flying off the tracks - and officials have warned the death toll will rise throughout the day.
One passenger has told of the 'horrific' scenes she witnessed when 'chaos' erupted while she was travelling onboard one of the trains.
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The 17-year-old claimed that she saw some people trapped underneath, while a 'lot of people couldn't get out' of the train carriages they had been travelling in.
"I heard screams...It was horrific," she told broadcaster Cadena Ser. "It was a catastrophe... I could hear people screaming in panic."
Shocking videos documenting the extent of the damage - which has forced the suspension of rail services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia - have been circulating online.
It has been confirmed that services operated by travel firms Iryo and Renfe were involved in the deadly incident.
Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha region, where the crash occurred, confirmed that at least ten people perished in the crash - and that the death toll is only expected to rise.
"The information we are receiving is not good at all," she told local media.
Padilla told TVE that 146 passengers - and one infant - were travelling on the Iryo train, while the other train operated by Renfe was carrying 397 passengers.
"The number of confirmed deaths, currently at 10, will almost certainly rise," she said. "The situation is going to worsen."
Train operator Iryo confirmed that one of the trains involved was part of its fleet - and that 'all emergency protocols' were triggered.
The firm said: "This morning, our train 6076, traveling from Madrid to Seville, was involved in an accident near Urda, at kilometre point 118.
"Iryo has activated all emergency protocols and is working closely with the relevant authorities to manage the situation.
"At this time, there is no estimate for when service will be restored. We will continue to provide updates through our usual communication channels."
Prime minister Pedro Sanchez said emergency services are still responding to the horror incident.
Spain’s state-owned news agency TVE reported that the collision occurred when one of the two high-speed trains, which were heading in the same direction, ran into the tail of the other.
PM sends 'solidarity and support' to those impacted
This sent two of its cars flying off the track and is believed to have ultimately derailed the trains.
In a post on X, Sachez said he was 'shocked' by the serious train crash, which is said to have taken place between the towns of Los Yebenes and Urda.
"I remain in constant contact with the Minister of Transport and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha," he said.
"Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations.
"My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families."
The mayor of the nearby town of Urda, Manuel Galan, told Spanish state broadcaster TVE that passengers had been injured, prompting civil protection authorities to request use of a sports pavilion to tend to the wounded.
The leader of Spain's People party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, also shared a social media post in wake of the incident.
It read: "Very concerned about the information we are getting about a new rail accident.
"The priority now is to attend to the victims and support their families. My full support to the emergency teams working on the ground."
Adif, the state rail infrastructure authority, also said in a post on X: "Traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line has been suspended following a rear-end collision between two trains."
In January, 45 people died in southern Spain when a train jumped the track and hit an oncoming train.
It marked the deadliest train collision since a 2013 incident that resulted in the deaths of 80 people.
Topics: World News, Travel, Europe
Olivia Burke