MADRID, October 29. /Dunyo IA/. At least 68 people have been killed and dozens injured after two high-speed trains collided on a railway line south of Madrid, Spain, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing Spanish news agency “EFE.”

The accident occurred near the town of Urda, approximately 140 kilometres south of Madrid, on the line connecting the capital with Andalusia. The trains, operated by national railway company “Renfe” and private operator “Iryo”, collided, causing several carriages to derail, overturn and fall down an embankment.

On the day of the incident, 77 injured passengers were taken to hospitals, 15 of them in critical condition. Rescue teams continued working to access the damaged carriages, and authorities warned that the death toll could rise.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a computer system failure had caused six trains, including the two involved in the collision, to stop before the accident. The dispatch center subsequently authorized them to resume operations without speed restrictions, although the reasons behind the decision remain unclear.

According to the minister, the Renfe train travelled approximately 25 kilometres after resuming its journey before colliding with the stationary train. Its speed may have reached 200 kilometres per hour. Investigators are examining the instructions given to the driver and why the train failed to stop before the obstruction.

Emergency response teams deployed firefighters, helicopters and mobile intensive care units to the scene. Hospitals in the region cancelled some scheduled operations to accommodate the injured, while medical facilities appealed to residents to donate blood.

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning and visited the accident site to express his condolences to the victims’ families. He said the government’s main priorities were to support those affected and determine the causes of the tragedy.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev sent condolences to King Felipe VI of Spain following the deaths and injuries caused by the train collision in Toledo province. He expressed his sympathy to the Spanish people and the families of those killed, and wished all injured passengers a speedy recovery.

Photo credit: Reuters