At least 30 people have been killed and several others injured after two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Toledo province, south of Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred shortly before 9 a.m. local time, months after another deadly rail accident in Adamuz that claimed 46 lives and triggered criticism of the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
According to emergency services, a train operated by Spain’s state-owned rail company, Renfe, rammed into the rear of a stationary Iryo train.
The impact caused two carriages of the Iryo train to plunge down an embankment.
Both trains were travelling between Madrid and Seville when the collision occurred.
Authorities fear the death toll could surpass the 46 fatalities recorded in the January 18 Adamuz crash, Spanish media reported, citing government sources.
Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was “dismayed” by the accident and expressed his “solidarity and support” to the victims and their families.
He added that emergency services were working at the scene to assist those affected and ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the People’s Party said he was “very worried” about reports of another rail accident, stressing that the immediate priority was to help the victims and support their families.
The latest crash has revived concerns over railway safety in Spain, following the Adamuz disaster, which drew widespread criticism of Sánchez’s administration.
The opposition People’s Party had accused the government of failing to ensure rail safety and demanded that Transport Minister Óscar Puente account for the incident.
Sánchez stood by Puente after the January disaster and was subsequently questioned in parliament over his government’s handling of the tragedy.
