Transport · Urda, Madrid, and Adamuz
Two high-speed trains collide in Spain, leaving at least 68 dead near Urda
An Iryo express and a Renfe high-speed train collided near Urda in Spain's Toledo province on 28 October, leaving at least 68 dead. Rescuers searched the wreckage through the night, and protesters in Madrid clashed with police on the evening of 28 October.
AI text based on reports by Nasz Dziennik, Irish Independent, Der Tagesspiegel and other publishers. Published . How it is made
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In brief
At least 68 people have died and the injured count varies by source, with 77 in one count and at least 100 according to the regional president, about 50 of them seriously.
The Iryo express had stopped because of a signal fault, while reports say the Renfe train was allowed to continue past a red light after an IT system failure, which Spanish authorities said broke procedures.
About 1,500 people gathered outside the transport ministry on the evening of 28 October, and police used tear gas after tensions broke out with parts of the crowd.
Former employment minister Fatima Bañez, 59, is among the dead, the Partido Popular said.
In mid-January 2026, a crash near Adamuz in Córdoba province killed 45 people and injured 122.
- January 2026Three rear carriages of an Iryo high-speed train derail near Adamuz, Córdoba province, and are hit by an Alvia train; 45 dead, 122 injured
- 28 OctAn Iryo express and a Renfe high-speed train collide near Urda, Toledo province, with 544 people on board across the two services
- 28 OctPolice use tear gas to disperse about 1,500 protesters outside the transport ministry in Madrid
- 29 OctToll reported at least 68 dead as the search of the wreckage continues
What happened
At around 9am on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, an Iryo express and a Renfe high-speed train collided at high speed near Urda in Toledo province, about 130 kilometres south of Madrid. Both services were running between Madrid and Seville, and 544 people were on board the two trains. The Renfe train struck the Iryo express, which had come to a halt because of a signal fault, according to a person briefed on the disaster. Two carriages of the Iryo train derailed and tumbled down an embankment, while several others stayed on an elevated section of track. Survivors described passengers being thrown by the impact, and one carriage caught fire.
Death toll and injuries
At least 68 people have died, and the search for more victims continues because rescuers have not ruled out further bodies inside the wreckage. Figures for the injured differ: one count gives 77, another more than 50, and the regional president put the number at at least 100, about 50 of them seriously. Rescuers used floodlights and three cranes overnight to lift two badly damaged carriages. Mercedes Martín, a Guardia Civil spokesperson in Madrid, said officers would stay through the night while families searched for missing relatives. Former employment minister Fatima Bañez, 59, is among the dead, the opposition Partido Popular said, and she had held the post from 2011 to 2018 under Mariano Rajoy.
Cause under investigation
Transport minister Óscar Puente said human error was one possible cause of the disaster. He called the decision to let the Renfe train continue past a red light, with another train on the track ahead, unexplainable. According to reports, the Renfe AVE received permission to proceed after an IT system failure. Spanish authorities said that permission broke the procedures in force, while the Iryo train had been stopped by a signal fault.
Protests in Madrid
Late on the evening of 28 October, about 1,500 people gathered outside the transport ministry in Madrid for a protest that far-right groups had called after the crash. Tensions broke out between parts of the crowd and the police. Officers then used tear gas to break up the demonstration. Protesters blamed the government of social democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and transport minister Óscar Puente for the disaster.
Second deadly crash this year
This is the second serious rail disaster in Spain in 2026 and the second deadly rail crash within nine months. In mid-January, three rear carriages of an Iryo high-speed train derailed near Adamuz in Córdoba province and collided with an Alvia train travelling from Madrid to Huelva, killing 45 people and injuring 122. After that crash, the opposition Partido Popular and Vox accused Sánchez's government of neglecting the rail network. After the 28 October collision, the political argument moved back onto the streets of Madrid.
- Santiago de Compostela, 2013
- 78 deaths
- Adamuz, mid-January 2026
- 45 deaths
- Urda, 28 October 2026 (at least)
- 68 deaths
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Sources and context
- Nasz DziennikSpain: Riots in MadridHiszpania: Zamieszki w Madrycie · original in Polish
- Irish IndependentHigh-speed train crash leaves at least 68 dead and 77 injured in one of Spain's worst rail disasters
- Der Tagesspiegel68 dead after Spanish train accident: Search for victims continues through the night68 Tote nach spanischem Zugunglück: Suche nach Opfern geht auch in der Nacht weiter - Ausschreitungen in Madrid · original in German
- TVP InfoRiots after train disaster. Police used tear gasZamieszki po katastrofie kolejowej. Policja użyła gazu łzawiącego · original in Polish
- Pedro Sánchez
- Social democratic prime minister of Spain whose government protesters blamed for the crash
- Óscar Puente
- Spanish transport minister who said human error was one possible cause of the crash
- Fatima Bañez
- Former employment and social security minister, 59, among the dead according to the Partido Popular
- Mercedes Martín
- Guardia Civil spokesperson in Madrid who spoke about the overnight search
- Mariano Rajoy
- Former Spanish prime minister whose government Fatima Bañez served under from 2011 to 2018
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