Spain declares mourning after 69 killed in second major rail crash this year

Spain declared three days of national mourning on Thursday following a high-speed train collision that killed 69 people in central Spain. The crash is the second fatal accident on the country's rail network this year. It occurred just four weeks before voters head to the polls for a national election.

Search teams using sniffer dogs continued to comb the wreckage on Thursday morning. Cranes worked to lift a damaged carriage that had flipped over on the gravel slope. Regional leader Emiliano García-Page announced the updated death toll after one more body was found overnight. He stated that 50 people remained hospitalized and that identification of body parts was required.

The collision happened at 8:53 a.m. on Wednesday when a RENFE train struck a stationary IRYO train from behind. Transport Minister Óscar Puente attributed the cause to an order from a central command center. He described the decision as inexplicable. Puente said the train engineers were not at fault for the impact.

A computer malfunction caused the security system to fail on a 63-kilometer stretch of track at 8:30 a.m. All trains in that section stopped as a result. The IRYO train halted near the town of Urda, while the RENFE train stopped 25 kilometers behind it. Commanders then ordered the RENFE train to resume movement without speed restrictions. Puente noted that a stop signal remained active on the line.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the crash site in the province of Toledo on Wednesday. He pledged an investigation into the incident and improvements to the rail system. Sánchez said it was not acceptable for Spain to endure two high-speed accidents in the same year. The government aims to rebuild trust in a network that carried 45 million travelers last year.

The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of the vote. Sánchez's Socialist party had hoped to capitalize on voter discontent regarding housing costs and rents. He called for early elections earlier this month. Right-wing parties are using the crash to question the safety of the rail service while also criticizing migration policies and alleging corruption against the ruling party.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Popular Party, demanded a full investigation. He stated that his party canceled campaign events for the day to respect the victims. He added that Spaniards are asking tough questions that require answers. Santiago Abascal of the far-right Vox party called the current government a criminal organization and vowed to work until it answers for its actions.

Both fatal crashes this year occurred on the same rail line. Each involved a state-owned RENFE train and a privately owned IRYO train. Spain liberalized its high-speed rail service in 2021, and IRYO began operations the following year. The network is the second-largest in the world after China's. It had not experienced a deadly crash since coming into service more than three decades ago.

The high-speed line connecting Madrid and Seville shut down following the accident. Thousands of travelers were left stranded and searching for alternative transport. RENFE said it would not sell tickets online for the service until mid-December. The company operates the most trains on the network.