Renfe train hits stopped Iryo service, killing 30 south of Madrid

A high-speed Renfe train collided with a stationary Iryo service on Wednesday morning, killing at least 30 people near Toledo.

The incident happened between the municipalities of Mora and Orgaz, roughly 140 kilometers south of Madrid. It occurred just after 09:00 local time, or 08:00 GMT. Rail operator Adif confirmed the crash involved a Renfe train and an Iryo train operating on the Madrid to Seville route.

The sequence of events appears to have been a rear-end collision. Reports from Spain indicate the moving Renfe train struck the Iryo service, which was already stopped on the tracks. The impact was severe enough to send at least two carriages tumbling down an embankment. One passenger told local media that the train experienced a heavy impact about 40 minutes into the journey.

Esther Padilla, the spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, provided specific passenger counts to TVE. She stated the Iryo train carried 146 passengers and one baby. The Renfe train had 397 passengers on board. This puts the total number of people on both trains at more than 500.

Emiliano García-Page, the president of Castilla-La Mancha, confirmed the death toll at "at least 30" in comments to Spanish media. He warned that the number of fatalities is expected to rise. Rail operator Adif has halted all train traffic on the line. Renfe has suspended services between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted on X that he was "shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo." He said he was in constant contact with the Minister of Transport and the regional president. Sánchez noted that emergency services were working on the ground to assist those affected in coordination with local administrations. He added a message of solidarity to the victims and their families.

Sánchez and other Spanish politicians have canceled all public engagements for Wednesday. This includes campaigning for parliamentary elections scheduled for next month. The Spanish royal family also posted on X, stating they were "shocked and concerned" by the accident and expressing condolences to the relatives of the deceased.

A massive emergency response is underway at the site, with fire crews and helicopters deployed. Hospitals in the Toledo, Ciudad Real, and Alcázar de San Juan areas have suspended planned surgeries to handle the influx of crash victims. The Madrid blood transfusion center issued an urgent appeal for donations on X, citing a possible sudden increase in care needs.

The cause of the crash has not been officially confirmed yet. However, initial reports suggest the high-speed train struck another train that had stopped on the tracks. A spokesperson for the European Union said the bloc was ready to help Spain if needed.

This is the second high-speed rail tragedy in Spain this year. In January, a high-speed train derailed in southern Spain. Its rear carriages entered the path of a state-run Renfe train, killing 46 people.