Spain mourns at least 68 dead in Toledo rail crash

An AVE train was one of the two involved near Urda in the province of Toledo

Spain is in mourning this Wednesday 28th October after at least 68 people lost their lives in an AVE high-speed rail crash near Urda, in the province of Toledo, on the line between Madrid and Sevilla.

At least another 58 of those involved are receiving treatment in hospital, 15 of them reportedly in serious condition, after the shocking incident, which has led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to declare that “in a country like Spain it is not acceptable that there should be two high-speed rail accidents in under a year”.

Sr Sánchez added that the investigation into the accident will be pursued until all the details emerge, but first reports suggest that a fault in the LZB safety signalling system is the most likely cause. It seems that one train was given the go-ahead to continue at normal speed despite the fact that another was occupying the same track further ahead.

Meanwhile, Town Halls and other government institutions all over the country are holding memorial events in honour of the victims in response to this latest disaster on the country’s high-speed rail network.