In brief
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of mourning in Spain after a high‑speed train collision near Urda killed at least 68 people and injured around 100, including two South Korean nationals who sustained injuries. Spanish authorities are investigating a possible control‑system error that allowed a moving train to enter a blocked track. The incident has sparked international condolences from several countries.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning for the victims of a high‑speed train collision near Urda in Toledo province, south of Madrid, which killed at least 68 people and injured roughly 100, according to a statement made on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2026, at the scene of the disaster.
Sánchez told witnesses that the country was “in mourning” and promised a thorough investigation of the incident, noting that it would uncover whether negligence or system failure was responsible.
In the early hours of the Wednesday crash, an AvE Renfe train travelling from Madrid to Seville slammed into the rear of a stationary Iryo train on the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed line, derailing two carriages and sending wreckage into an embankment. At least 68 people died and around 80 were injured, with about 50 suffering serious injuries.
Yonhap reports that two South Korean nationals were among the wounded: one suffered minor injuries and was discharged after treatment, while the other remains hospitalized. The Korean foreign ministry has confirmed the names of 11 Korean passengers aboard the trains and is monitoring their safety.
Spanish transport officials said a computer‑controlled signalling failure may have led the moving train to depart despite a red signal, an error that investigators are currently examining. The incident is the second major deadly high‑speed train crash in Spain this year.
Condolences have come from several governments, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Japan, all expressing wishes of a swift recovery for the injured and offering support to the families of victims.
