At least 68 people have been killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed passenger trains collided in central Spain on October 28, raising serious questions about railway signaling systems, traffic control procedures and operational safety.
The collision occurred shortly before 9 a.m. near Urda, in Toledo province, approximately 80 miles south of Madrid. A high-speed AVE train operated by state-owned Renfe struck the rear of a stationary train operated by private railway company Iryo. Several carriages derailed, with some plunging down an embankment.
The two trains were carrying approximately 544 passengers. Authorities reported that 68 people remained hospitalized or under medical care, including 15 with serious or critical injuries. Emergency personnel, firefighters and specialized rescue teams were deployed to search the wreckage.
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said preliminary findings indicated that a computer malfunction had disabled the LZB train protection system along approximately 63 kilometers of track, automatically stopping several trains.
Following the malfunction, a central traffic control center reportedly authorized the Renfe train to resume normal operations despite an active red signal. The train subsequently traveled approximately 25 kilometers before striking the stationary Iryo service.
Puente described the authorization as “inexplicable.” Investigators are examining whether human error and failures in established safety procedures contributed to the disaster. No final determination of responsibility has been announced.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning and pledged a comprehensive investigation.
The tragedy follows another deadly high-speed rail collision near Adamuz, Córdoba, in January 2026, which killed 46 people.
The latest disaster is expected to intensify scrutiny of Spain’s high-speed rail network, particularly the effectiveness of signaling safeguards, emergency operating procedures and human oversight when automated train protection systems fail.