Spain High-Speed Train Collision Kills at Least 68 in Second Deadly Crash on Madrid-Andalusia Line This Year

On October 28, 2026, two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Toledo province, central Spain, resulting in at least 68 deaths and over 100 injuries among approximately 544 passengers. The incident involved a Renfe AVE train (397 passengers) rear-ending a stationary Iryo train (147 passengers plus one infant) on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line around 8:54 a.m. local time.[1][2]

Early reports from regional authorities cited at least 30 fatalities, with the toll rising throughout the day to 64-68 as rescue operations continued, placing it among Spain's deadliest rail disasters since the 2013 Santiago de Compostela derailment that killed 80.[3][4]

According to Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente, the crash stemmed from a computer malfunction in the LZB train protection system around 8:30 a.m., which automatically halted trains over a ~63 km stretch. The control center then authorized the Renfe train to resume at normal speed despite a red signal and the stationary Iryo train ahead—an "inexplicable" decision under investigation. Several Iryo carriages derailed down an embankment.[2][5]

This marks the second fatal collision involving Renfe and Iryo on the same corridor in 2026; a January incident near Adamuz killed 46. Services on the line were suspended, and officials declared mourning while launching probes into signaling failures and human factors.[6]

The event underscores vulnerabilities in Spain's high-speed rail network despite its reputation, prompting calls for reinforced safety protocols.