In brief
The collision of a Renfe high‑speed train with a stationary Iryo carriage near Urda on Oct. 28, 2026, killed 68 people and left two South Korean nationals with injuries. Spanish authorities are investigating signal and control errors while the government declared three days of national mourning.
A high‑speed train struck a stationary Iryo carriage in the Toledo province near the town of Urda on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, killing at least 68 people and leaving two South Korean nationals among the injured.
The crash occurred on the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed line, when a Renfe AVE train travelling from Madrid to Seville collided with a paused Iryo train that had stopped prematurely on the route. Two carriages derailed and plunged into an embankment, forcing a large emergency response.
According to Korea’s foreign ministry, 11 South Korean passengers had been on the two trains. One of the injured Koreans suffered minor wounds and was discharged after treatment, while the other remains hospitalized. Seoul’s embassy in Spain has said it is monitoring the situation closely.
Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said the collision followed a computer‑controlled error. He told reporters that a rail control centre had overridden a red signal, allowing the following Renfe unit to depart without speed restrictions. “In the event of a system failure, the control centre takes over,” Puente said, adding that the decision to let the train move was made “under inexplicable circumstances.”
Emiliano Garcia‑Page, head of the Castilla‑La Mancha regional government, reported that about 80 people were injured, roughly 50 seriously and 15 critically, and that the crash prompted the deployment of 200 military emergency personnel and local support services.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the wreckage at Urda and declared three days of national mourning from Oct. 29 to 31. He underscored the tragedy’s impact on the country, saying,
“Today the whole of Spain is grieving,”and adding,
“What is unacceptable for a country like Spain is to suffer two train accidents in the same year.”
King Felipe VI issued a statement later that day expressing sympathy. He said,
“I share in the sorrow of the families and loved ones”, and pledged support for the victims’ families.
The rail operator Renfe confirmed that service between Madrid and Seville would remain suspended while investigations continued. The incident also intensified calls from the trade union CSIF for the resignation of the head of traffic at Adif, the state rail network authority, after statements were made about the handling of the incident.
In a show of international solidarity, leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia sent messages of condolence to King Felipe VI and the Spanish people. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice‑President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum each expressed deep sympathy, while Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud wished the injured a swift recovery.
Search teams have been combing the wreckage for survivors. Reuters reported that over 300 personnel—including police, firefighters, and medical teams—were working to locate any trapped passengers. The investigation will focus on signalling failures and the documented computer error that reportedly allowed the moving train to proceed on a track with a red signal.
The death toll continues to rise as Spanish authorities implement emergency protocols and extend services to affected areas. The incident remains one of the deadliest rail accidents in Europe in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive safety reforms within Spain’s high‑speed network.
