The collision caused a derailment. At least 46 people have been killed after a high-speed passenger train rear-ended another near Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday morning.
Sources at the Ministry of Transport consulted by ABC say the accident in Urda, Toledo, was caused by human error. A worker from the public company, who was repairing a fault in the main signalling system, is believed to have failed to warn the AVE high-speed train that an Iryo train was approaching. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose office cancelled all scheduled meetings, wrote on X, “I am in constant contact with the Minister of Transportation and the premier of Castilla-La Mancha. Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the relevant authorities. My thoughts, solidarity, and support go out to all the victims and their families.”
“A human error by an [state-owned railway infrastructure company] Adif operator in response to a malfunction in the main signalling system is the likely cause of the accident,” government sources told Spanish newspaper El Pais. “The incident occurred between Mora and Orgaz and Urda,” Adif said.
