In brief
A high‑speed train collision near Urda in Toledo province on October 28 left at least 68 dead and dozens injured, including two South Korean nationals, one of whom was discharged after minor injuries while the other remains hospitalized. Spanish officials are investigating a computer‑controlled error that may have allowed a train to move with a red signal. The incident prompted three days of mourning declared by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and condolences from several world leaders.
A high‑speed train slammed into a stationary train near Urda in Toledo province on Wednesday, October 28, killing at least 68 people and seriously injuring more than 80. The accident involved a Renfe AVE train traveling from Madrid to Seville and an Iryo high‑speed carriage that had stopped on the same track.
South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed that as of Thursday morning two of the 11 Korean nationals aboard the involved trains were injured. One suffered only minor wounds and was discharged from a local hospital after treatment; the other remains hospitalized, the ministry said.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning on the scene of the wreck, saying the country was “in mourning.” Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a computer failure had paused several trains before the Renfe train was allowed to depart with a red signal still displayed, a decision he described as a “clear and inexplicable error.”
Investigation and Response
Investigators are examining the fault that permitted the moving train to run without speed restrictions, a system failure that may have contributed to the collision. More than 200 military emergency personnel are on the site, and local authorities are continuing to search the wreckage for survivors and other victims.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other international officials have issued messages of condolence to King Felipe VI and the Spanish people, wishing a swift recovery for the injured.
