At least 68 killed in train collision on high-speed line in Spain
The collision occurred near the towns of Mora, Orgaz and Urda.
LONDON -- At least 68 people were killed after two trains collided on Spain's Madrid-Seville high-speed line, and the death toll is expected to rise, a spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha region told ABC News.
The collision occurred at around 8:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday at kilometer marker 118 near Urda and involved a Renfe train and an Iryo train, both traveling from Madrid to Seville, Spain's Transport Ministry told ABC News.
The incident marked the deadliest high-speed train crash in Spain since 2013, when 80 people were killed, and more than 170 were injured when a train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol derailed in Galicia in northwest Spain.
The collision was also the second major train crash in Spain this year on the same high-speed train line and involving the same trains from the same rail operators.
In January, two high-speed Iryo and Renfe trains collided near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, killing 46 people. Authorities said one of the trains derailed and another train collided with the derailed cars, Spanish officials said.
As part of the preliminary investigation of Wednesday's crash, authorities said the Renfe train probably struck the Iryo train from behind, causing two coaches to derail and plummet down an embankment.
The Iryo train was carrying 146 passengers, including one baby, while the Renfe train had 397 passengers, according to the transport ministry.
"We heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail. Through the right-hand window, we could see the wrecked train," Miguel, a passenger in one of the wrecked trains, told the Spanish radio network, Radio COPE.
Another passenger, Ana, told reporters that she was traveling on one of the trains with her sister and her dog when the crash occurred, according to Reuters.
"Suddenly, I only heard screams," Ana, who suffered injuries to her face and leg, told Reuters.
In the aftermath of the crash, Ana said passengers broke windows and that firefighters pulled her from the wreckage. "I was covered in blood," she said.
She described the horrific scene of seeing people dying in front of her.
"Some people were fine, and others were really bad. You could see them dying, and you could do nothing," said Ana, who added that she and her sister, who was also injured, were taken to a hospital by ambulance.
In a statement, Iryo said its service 6076, traveling from Madrid to Seville, was involved in the accident near Urda. The company said it had activated all emergency protocols and was working closely with authorities to manage the situation.
As a result of the crash, all Iryo services departing from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha and traveling along the Southern Corridor have been canceled. The company said it had no estimate for when service would resume.
Spain's Health Minister Monica Garcia said the government was mobilizing resources and coordinating with relevant institutions to respond to the crash.
“We are mobilizing all the resources at our disposal and coordinating with all the relevant institutions,” Garcia said. “I’m working with the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha to provide any resources it may need. My full support and gratitude go to the emergency personnel dispatched to the area."
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
