Toledo Rail Crash Kills 68

In the central province of Toledo, Spain, a high-speed train struck another from behind on Wednesday, killing 68 people. The incident occurred on a stretch of rail near the town of Urda, which is lined with olive groves. Regional authorities confirmed the death toll after more than 60 fatalities were initially reported. Dozens of other passengers were treated at local hospitals.

This is the second deadly accident on the country's high-speed rail network this year. In January, 46 people died in southern Spain when a train left the track and hit another. Spain's rail system, which ranks second in the world for track mileage after China, had not seen a deadly crash since opening more than three decades ago. The network carried 45 million travelers last year, including many tourists.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the site in Toledo. He declared three days of mourning beginning Thursday. Sánchez pledged an investigation into the collision and improvements to prevent future tragedies. "It is clear that we need to reinforce the safety of our train service to rebuild the trust in our high-speed rail," Sánchez said. "It is not acceptable for a country like Spain to endure two high-speed train accidents in the same year."

Transport minister Óscar Puente attributed the crash to human error. He stated that a computer malfunction stopped the security system on a 63-kilometer section at 8:30 a.m. This caused all trains on that line to stop. The IRYO train was stationary near Urda, while a RENFE train was 25 kilometers behind it. A central command center ordered the RENFE train to start moving without speed restrictions. The collision occurred at 8:53 a.m. Puente said the train should have remained stopped or moved at a reduced speed.

The crash happened four weeks before a national election. Sánchez's Socialist party faces a difficult political environment. Polls suggest his party may struggle against right-wing rivals. The prime minister had called for early elections earlier this month, hoping to capitalize on voter discontent over housing costs. On Wednesday, about an hour before the crash news spread, he posted on X that there were many reasons to be optimistic about the country.

Political rivals have reacted sharply to the accident. Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo demanded a full investigation. He said his party canceled campaign events for the day to respect the victims. "This is the moment to respect the dead, the injured and their families," Núñez Feijóo said. "That does not mean we will ignore the fact that Spaniards are asking tough questions that demand answers."

Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, issued a stronger statement. He described the event as another tragedy that fuels public rage. Abascal promised to work until the current government answered for its actions in court. Both fatal crashes this year involved a train operated by the state-owned RENFE and one from the private carrier IRYO. Spain opened its high-speed rail to private operators in 2021.