At least 50 people have been killed and 179 others injured following a collision between two high-speed trains in Spain’s central Toledo province.

Following the accident, railway services from Madrid to Ciudad Real and Andalusia have been suspended.

The crash occurred at around 9:00 AM local time on Wednesday, October 28, on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line.

According to Spain's state broadcaster TVE, the two trains were traveling in the same direction when one of them struck the other from behind, causing two carriages to derail.

Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha where the accident took place, stated that while an initial death toll of 10 was confirmed, subsequent information raised the number of fatalities to 50.

Government sources told the Spanish newspaper El País that this crash could prove even more severe than a railway disaster that occurred in Adamuz last January, which reportedly left 46 people dead.

The collision involved a Renfe AVE high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Seville and an Iryo train coming from the opposite direction.

Videos circulating on social media showed a derailed train carriage overturned with smoke rising from the wreckage, while debris was scattered across the surrounding area.

A passenger in the rear carriage of the AVE train told Capital Radio that, following a violent impact, a section of the train appeared to be hurled into the air.

A spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government reported that there were 146 passengers, including a child, on the Iryo train, while approximately 397 passengers were aboard the AVE train.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed deep grief over the tragedy. In a post on the social media platform X, he said he was devastated by the severe train accident in Toledo and added that he is in constant communication with the transport minister and the head of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government to monitor the situation.

The Prime Minister further noted that emergency services are working at the site to ensure the safety and support of those affected, with relevant administrations coordinating rescue and relief operations.

Manuel Galán, the mayor of the nearby town of Urda, stated that numerous passengers were injured. Civil protection officials have requested the local administration to prepare a sports pavilion to shelter affected individuals.

Jesús Pérez, the mayor of the neighboring village of Los Yébenes, described the accident as critical. Emiliano García-Page, the head of the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, announced on X that he was heading to the scene upon receiving news of the crash.

Notably, another major railway accident occurred in southern Spain in January of this year, when a derailed train collided with an oncoming train, resulting in numerous casualties.
Sources: The Guardian and The Sun