Illustrative image: a high-speed train at a station platform. Photo: Marcelo / Unsplash (Unsplash License). Not the trains involved in the accident.
At least 64 people were killed on Wednesday, October 28, when two high-speed trains collided on the Madrid–Andalusia line near Urda, in Spain’s Toledo province, according to Castilla-La Mancha’s regional president, Emiliano García-Page. He warned that the toll is likely to rise because rescuers had not yet reached the deepest parts of the wrecked carriages.
The crash happened shortly before 9:00 a.m. local time at kilometre 118 of the high-speed line, between Los Yébenes and Urda. Rail infrastructure manager Adif described it as an alcance — a rear-end collision — between a Renfe AVE and an Iryo train, both running between Madrid and Seville. According to Ministry of Transport sources quoted by Europa Press, the AVE struck the Iryo train from behind. Two carriages derailed and fell down an embankment.
A toll that kept climbing
Official figures changed quickly through the morning. Around 10:00 a.m., the regional government said it could not yet confirm any deaths. By midday, Castilla-La Mancha’s emergency service put the toll at 30 dead and close to a hundred injured. In his latest statement, García-Page said at least 64 people had died — 34 of them aboard the Iryo train and the rest on the AVE.
Regional government spokeswoman Esther Padilla said 147 people, including a baby, were travelling on the Iryo train and 397 on the AVE. Other, unofficial tolls circulated in Spanish media during the morning; Padilla publicly denied that the emergency service had issued one of them, a figure of 46 dead.
Emergency response
Firefighters from Alcázar de San Juan and Orgaz, civil protection units, three medical helicopters and intensive-care ambulances were sent to the scene, according to the 112 emergency service. The regional government activated its emergency plan (Platecam) and appealed for urgent blood donations for hospitals in Toledo and Ciudad Real. The Madrid regional government put La Paz, Getafe and 12 de Octubre hospitals on alert. Renfe has opened a helpline for relatives: 900 10 10 20.
The cause is not yet known
No official cause has been given. Witnesses quoted by Spanish media said several trains had stopped on the line because of a signalling problem before the crash, and El País reported that the Renfe train had slowed and stopped minutes earlier because of an incident affecting traffic on the line. Preliminary hypotheses attributed to the Guardia Civil point to a possible failure in detection or signalling systems, but none of these accounts has been officially confirmed. A court in Orgaz has taken charge of the judicial investigation. Transport Minister Óscar Puente followed events from the rail control centre at Madrid’s Atocha station and was expected to speak in the afternoon.
Reactions and disruption
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X that he was “dismayed” and in contact with Puente and García-Page, and cancelled a public appearance in Madrid. The Partido Popular suspended its campaign agenda nationwide. High-speed traffic between Madrid and Andalusia remains completely suspended with no reopening date. Ouigo cancelled its Madrid–Andalusia services for the rest of the day, and Renfe is offering free changes and cancellations.
Confirmed and pending
Confirmed: a rear-end collision between a Renfe AVE and an Iryo train near Urda on Wednesday morning; at least 64 dead according to the regional president; the Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line is closed. Pending: a final official toll, the number and condition of the injured, the identities of the victims and the cause of the crash. This story is developing.
Update, October 29: the regional government raised the death toll to 69 on Thursday. Earlier figures in this article (30, then 64) reflect the official counts at the time of writing; the La Cerca link below refers to the earlier figure of 30. Read our latest report.
Sources
- Libertad Digital — live coverage of the Urda train crash (Oct 28, 2026)
- Telecinco — live coverage: Iryo and AVE collision near Urda (Oct 28, 2026)
- Infobae — live: train accident in Toledo (Oct 28, 2026)
- El Español — live: train accident in Toledo (Oct 28, 2026)
- La Cerca — García-Page confirms 30 dead, warns more victims may be found (Oct 28, 2026)
Mary del Castillo · International · Virtual editorial byline
English adaptation: Lin Wei · Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 28, 2026 · AI-assisted writing
