Spain has begun three days of national mourning after a high-speed train crash killed 68 people and left many others injured.
The collision happened on Wednesday morning in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha, involving trains operated by Renfe and private rail company Iryo.
Relatives of passengers have gathered at assistance centres as authorities continue identifying victims and investigating what caused the disaster.
Also Read
Spain train crash leaves dozens dead
The crash occurred when a Renfe service struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train on the busy rail corridor between Madrid and Seville.
Emergency crews worked through the night, searching damaged carriages and removing twisted sections of metal from the scene.
Survivors described a sudden and violent impact that threw passengers from their seats and scattered luggage across the carriages.
Several passengers said they escaped with injuries after being pulled from damaged sections of the trains.
The disaster has become one of Spain’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years.
Families seek information on missing passengers
Authorities have opened a support center at a school in Urda, about 130 kilometers south of Madrid.
Families have been arriving there seeking information about relatives who were travelling on the trains.
Red Cross teams and other emergency workers are providing psychological support to those affected.
Spain’s Civil Guard has also established offices in Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and Seville where relatives can provide DNA samples to assist with victim identification.
Blood donation centres have been opened in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha as hospitals continue treating those injured.
Safety concerns raised after second major crash
The latest Spain train crash has renewed concerns about the country’s high-speed rail network.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said an automatic control system stopped working across a 69-kilometre section of track before the collision.
Train services in the area were initially halted.
According to Puente, the control center later allowed traffic to resume despite problems with the system.
The Renfe train travelled about 25 kilometers before hitting the stationary Iryo service.
Authorities are investigating why operations resumed and whether procedures were followed correctly.
Second fatal rail accident this year
The Castilla-La Mancha disaster is the second deadly high-speed rail collision in Spain this year.
In January, 46 people were killed in Andalusia after one train derailed and crossed onto a neighbouring track before colliding with another service.
Investigations into that crash are still ongoing.
The latest tragedy is expected to intensify scrutiny of railway safety measures and the management of Spain’s high-speed network.
For now, attention remains focused on the victims, survivors and families affected by the disaster as the country observes three days of mourning.
