Dozens of people have died in a train collision near Urda in central Spain, with Madrid-Andalusia high-speed services suspended.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported the fatalities on Wednesday, 28 October, as authorities mounted a major emergency response. The casualty figures were still being updated, and a final toll had not been established.
Infrastructure manager Adif confirmed that the collision involved trains operated by Renfe and Iryo on the Madrid-Seville route. It placed the incident between Mora y Orgaz and Urda, at kilometre point 118.
Adif said trains on the affected line had been stopped at stations. Its latest service notice said the separate Madrid-Toledo and Málaga-Seville high-speed sections were operating normally.
The Castilla-La Mancha government activated its territorial emergency plan at 09:15 local time. It raised the response to operational level two at 10:30 and requested the intervention of Spain’s Military Emergency Unit.
The regional government said police, firefighters, civil-protection volunteers and health-service personnel had been mobilised. A forward medical post was being established to assess casualties, provide initial treatment and arrange transfers to hospitals.
Authorities also established shelter for affected passengers at a sports hall in Urda and family-assistance arrangements at stations in Madrid, Seville and Córdoba.
Adif’s subsequent notice listed assistance points at Madrid-Puerta de Atocha Almudena Grandes, Sevilla Santa Justa, Córdoba Julio Anguita and Málaga María Zambrano.
The cause of the collision had not been established.
The Castilla-La Mancha government opened an information line, 900 122 112, for relatives and friends of people who may have been affected. Adif directed passengers seeking information about disrupted journeys to their train operators.
