--- title: "Renfe Train Crash Near Urda Kills at Least 68 People" url: https://noti.group/renfe-train-crash-near-urda-kills-at-least-68-people/ language: en publisher: "Noti Group" section: "World News" published: 2026-10-29T10:50:51.000Z updated: 2026-10-29T11:53:16.994Z id: fed7f0d8-36cb-4469-9463-1b4e2507eed7 source: "Al Jazeera https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/29/what-we-know-about-spains-second-high-speed-rail-tragedy-this-year?traffic_source=rss" attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/renfe-train-crash-near-urda-kills-at-least-68-people/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Renfe Train Crash Near Urda Kills at Least 68 People A devastating high-speed train crash has occurred near Urda, south of Madrid, resulting in at least 68 deaths and around 80 injuries. At least 68 people have lost their lives in a devastating high-speed train crash that occurred on Wednesday morning near Urda, a town south of Madrid in central Spain. The tragedy unfolded just before 9am (08:00 GMT) when one train, carrying hundreds of passengers from Madrid to Seville, collided with the rear of another stationary train. The moving train was operated by Renfe, Spain's state-owned rail company, while the stalled train was run by Iryo, a private player that entered the country's high-speed railway service market in 2022. The crash has sparked widespread shock and grief, coming just weeks before national elections in Spain. This is already the second deadly high-speed rail disaster to hit the country this year, raising concerns about the safety of the nation's transportation network. According to officials, both trains were travelling on a raised section of track between Urda and the neighbouring town of Los Yebenes, near the ancient city of Toledo. The impact was severe enough to cause two carriages from the Iryo train to derail and fall down an embankment during the collision. Details about the exact circumstances leading up to the crash are still emerging, but authorities have cited an "inexplicable order given by a rail control centre as being responsible for allowing one of the trains to resume normal speed despite a signalling failure. The crash has left a trail of devastation in its wake, with the highest toll in a European rail accident since 2013. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has taken swift action in response to the tragedy, visiting the site on Wednesday and declaring three days of national mourning starting from Thursday. He has pledged to get to the bottom of the crash, vowing that any negligence will be exposed and system failures met with a strong response. The full extent of the disaster is still being assessed, but it's clear that the impact was severe, with at least 68 people killed and around 80 injured. Many of those hurt have been taken to hospitals in the region or in Madrid for treatment, while others were treated on site before being sent home. Emergency responders are working to clear the wreckage of the two trains that collided, while also conducting a search for anyone trapped beneath the rubble. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, with Spain's Civil Guard sending a disaster team to the site to gather evidence and assist in the probe. A critical failure occurred at approximately 8:30am when the LZB signalling system, which automatically maintains a safe distance between trains, went offline due to a computer glitch. As a result of this malfunction, around six trains on a 63km stretch came to an abrupt stop, including the two involved in the collision. The malfunction of the automatic safety system has been cited by investigators as the probable cause of the collision between two high-speed trains in Spain. According to Puente, the crash was triggered by an inexplicable" instruction from the control centre after the safety system failed. This decision allowed the train to move despite a stop signal still being displayed on its dashboard. Typically, when the LZB system fails, trains are only permitted to proceed at a reduced speed of 40km/h (25mph) to give drivers sufficient time to react and avoid obstacles. The backup system that takes over in such situations relies on detecting signals at specific points along the track, rather than continuously monitoring the line. This can lead to delays or confusion if there are no signals nearby. Rail engineers have suggested that the main safety system would have prevented the crash had it been functioning properly, with one expert noting that the system is designed to detect stopped trains ahead and apply brakes automatically to prevent collisions. Adif officials have yet to pinpoint the exact cause of the malfunction at their control centre that led to the high-speed rail crash. High-speed train services between Madrid and Andalusia remain suspended, but trains are still running on other routes in the region, such as between Madrid and Toledo, and between Malaga and Seville. Ticket sales for the affected route have been put on hold by Renfe until December 13. In the meantime, an alternative service will become available from this Friday to link Madrid with Andalusia. The latest crash is not the first high-speed rail disaster in Spain this year, following a derailment near Adamuz in Cordoba province that killed 46 people and involved trains operated by Renfe and Iryo on the same line. Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, has expressed his concern about the two high-speed rail accidents, suggesting that they appear to be unrelated but are nonetheless unacceptable for a country like Spain. A protest was held outside the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday evening, as 1,500 people gathered to voice their discontent over the latest high-speed rail accident in Spain. The demonstration, organized by right-wing youth groups, called for the resignation of Puente, the transport minister, and turned violent when protesters clashed with police. The unrest has added a new layer of complexity to an already sensitive situation, just days before national elections are set to take place. As the country grapples with the aftermath of the disaster, politicians from various parties have weighed in on the crisis. Some, like Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the main opposition People's Party, have chosen to suspend campaign events out of respect for those affected, while others have taken a more aggressive stance. --- Source: [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/29/what-we-know-about-spains-second-high-speed-rail-tragedy-this-year?traffic_source=rss) Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/renfe-train-crash-near-urda-kills-at-least-68-people/