Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday morning, leaving at least 30 people dead, according to the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha. The government said the number is likely to climb as rescuers keep searching the wreckage.
The crash happened shortly after 9 a.m. local time between Los Yébenes and Urda, in the province of Toledo. One train was operated by Renfe and the other by Iryo. Esther Padilla, spokeswoman for the regional government, said the Renfe AVE carried 397 people and the Iryo train carried 146 passengers and one baby. Two trains derailed, and some carriages fell down an embankment beside the track.
Regional leader expects more bodies to be found
Early on, Padilla had reported 10 deaths and said the figure would rise. Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha, said 24 bodies had been found in the Renfe train and six in the Iryo train, and that not all carriages had yet been reached.
Other reports from the day cite 39, 46 and 50 dead, but none of these figures has been confirmed by an official count. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences on the social network X. “My affection, solidarity and support go to all the victims and their families,” he wrote.
Hospitals in Toledo clear operating rooms for the injured
Reports cite 179 injured, and one of them says 50 of them are seriously hurt. The regional government has not released an official note confirming these figures, and the count is still being checked. Hospitals in Toledo, Alcázar and Ciudad Real suspended non-urgent surgeries to receive the wounded.
Passengers describe a loud impact and wreckage on the tracks
Miguel, a passenger travelling with colleagues in the last carriage of one of the trains, described the moment of impact to a Spanish radio station. “We heard a huge bang, a really giant thud that lasted 10 seconds,” he said. Through the window, he saw the other train destroyed.
Eduarda, a passenger on the Iryo train, said a strong impact threw her forward. She first thought the train had made an emergency stop. “I saw dead people,” she said.
Reports also place former Spanish minister Fátima Báñez, now president of the Fundación CEOE, on one of the trains. Her condition has not been confirmed.
Orgaz court takes over the inquiry as the cause is disputed
Judicial authorities in the Orgaz district will investigate the crash and carry out the count of victims. One report says the Spanish government attributes the collision to human error, but no official statement has confirmed this.
A source who spoke to an international news agency said the Iryo train had been stopped near Toledo on orders from Adif, the company that manages the rail infrastructure, because of a signalling failure when it was hit. That account has not been independently confirmed. Renfe and Iryo have not responded to requests for comment, although Iryo said it had activated its security protocols and was working closely with the authorities.
Rail service stays cut and mourning is declared in Seville
- Rail traffic is halted between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia, with no reopening date announced.
- Families can give DNA samples at four points in Madrid, Seville, Córdoba and Toledo, according to Spain’s Civil Guard.
- Seville declared three days of mourning and suspended official acts.
Reports differ on the final destination of the trains, with one naming Seville and another describing services between Madrid and Seville.
Earlier Adamuz crash involved the same two companies
Reports link the Toledo crash to an earlier accident at Adamuz, in Andalusia, on 18 January 2026, which also involved trains from Renfe and Iryo. Some reports describe the Toledo collision as the second rail accident in Spain in 10 months, but reports differ on the Adamuz death toll.
The prime minister’s agenda for the day was cancelled, and the opposition Partido Popular cancelled all of its campaign events, a spokesperson said. Transport Minister Óscar Puente is scheduled to address the accident at 14:00 local time, according to reports.