Spain is mourning after two high-speed trains collided Wednesday morning near Toledo, a city about 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Madrid, in what officials are calling the deadliest rail accident the country has seen in more than a decade.
The crash killed at least 68 people and left more than 100 others injured, with authorities describing the severity of the wounds as “variable,” ranging from minor to critical. Together, the two trains were carrying 544 passengers at the time of impact.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the collision as “serious” and announced an official period of national mourning in response to the tragedy. Early reports point to an order issued by the railway’s control center as a possible trigger for the crash, though investigators have not yet confirmed the exact cause.
The disaster has quickly taken on political dimensions. Opposition lawmakers are demanding a full investigation not only into what went wrong Wednesday but into the broader condition and safety standards of Spain’s rail network, which includes one of Europe’s most extensive high-speed lines.
This marks the worst such accident in Spain since a 2013 derailment near Santiago de Compostela killed dozens of passengers. As rescue and recovery efforts continue, authorities say more details about the cause and the identities of victims are expected in the coming days.
For more details, read the original report at eltiempo.com.
Source: Accidente de tren en España: los detalles de la peor tragedia ferroviaria en 13 años, que enluta al país (eltiempo.com).
Image: Smithsonian Institution from United States.