The accident occurred when a high-speed train crashed into the rear of another train travelling ahead on the same track. Both trains were carrying hundreds of passengers and were heading in the same direction from Madrid towards Seville in southwestern Spain.
Emiliano García-Page, regional president of Castilla-La Mancha, said 80 people had been injured in the accident and warned that the number of fatalities could increase. Rescue and relief operations were underway.
Spain's rail system operator ADIF confirmed that the accident took place in Toledo province on Wednesday morning. The collision involved two high-speed trains, resulting in the derailment of two coaches.
Drone footage from the accident site showed that most of the white and purple Renfe AVE train remained on the tracks, while several coaches of the red and white Iryo train had derailed. Some of the damaged coaches were seen leaning against a railway embankment, while others had fallen into nearby fields.
Twisted sections of the trains and debris were scattered around the crash site. Emergency services deployed ambulances, fire engines, police vehicles and medical helicopters across the surrounding fields.
Rescue workers wearing high-visibility jackets were seen moving between the damaged coaches and emergency vehicles as efforts continued to assist passengers and recover victims.
According to Esther Padilla, spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha region, one train had collided with the rear section of another. Authorities were investigating the cause of the accident.
Following the collision, rail services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia were suspended.
Local media reported that the trains involved belonged to Spain's state-owned railway company Renfe and private rail operator Iryo.
The available information indicated that the Renfe train had struck the Iryo train. Padilla said the Renfe train was carrying 397 passengers, while 147 people were travelling aboard the Iryo train.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez cancelled his scheduled engagements following the accident. Expressing his grief over the incident, Sánchez wrote on X that he was deeply saddened by the train crash.
The accident marks the second major railway disaster in Spain this year. In January, a severe accident involving trains operated by the same two companies claimed 45 lives.
With rescue operations continuing, authorities were assessing the extent of the damage and investigating the circumstances that led to the collision. The accident has once again brought the safety of Spain's high-speed rail network into focus.
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