At least 46 dead after two high-speed trains collide in Spain

At least 46 people died when two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Toledo province on Wednesday morning, according to Civil Protection figures reported later in the morning, and two carriages fell down an embankment as the Madrid to Andalusia line stayed suspended.

Why it matters: It is Spain's second deadly high-speed rail crash this year, after the January crash near Adamuz killed 45 people, and the toll is still provisional while rescue work continues at a site reachable only with difficulty.

Data as of Update 2026-10-28T07:19:40-04:00 (morning edition deep verification): the death toll is raised to at least 46. Clash Report, reporting Civil Protection figures, and Qazinform both put the toll at 46, with dozens injured; the 46 figure that earlier updates in this story recorded as uncorroborated is now carried by named outlets attributing it to Civil Protection, and is used. Some later tallies circulating in this verification pass put deaths above 50; no official source read in this run confirms those, and they are not used. The confirmed earlier toll was at least 39, communicated by Emergencias Castilla-La Mancha. Update 2026-10-28T06:13:52-04:00: the figure of at least 39 dead is the toll communicated by Emergencias Castilla-La Mancha, as reported by Demócrata on October 28, 2026 and read in full in this run, and corroborated by Classic Hits Ireland reporting local authorities the same day, also read in full. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suspended his schedule and Transport Minister Óscar Puente interrupted his, per Demócrata. Earlier reporting in this story: Reuters report published October 28, 2026 and updated at 09:19 UTC, reporting rail operator Adif and a Castilla La Mancha regional government spokesperson. The cause is still under investigation. Developing item.

Latest: the death toll has risen to at least 46, according to Civil Protection figures reported by Clash Report and carried by Qazinform, up from the at least 39 communicated earlier by Emergencias Castilla-La Mancha, and the toll is still provisional while rescue work continues. The collision happened at about 8:54 a.m. local time between Los Yébenes and Urda, Spanish emergency services said, and the regional government has activated its territorial emergency plan for Toledo province, raising it to level 2, with firefighters, three medical helicopters and mobile intensive care units at the scene. Two carriages fell down an embankment, which Demócrata reported has complicated the work of the emergency services, and Adif has suspended high-speed traffic between Madrid and Andalusia with no time given for services to resume. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suspended his participation in a Health Ministry event to follow the accident, and Transport Minister Óscar Puente interrupted his schedule at the World Infrastructure Forum. Political parties also suspended their campaign schedules, a little more than a month before the November 29 general election.

Two high-speed trains collided just after 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday between the towns of Mora and Orgaz in Toledo province, and rail operator Adif said traffic on the Madrid to Andalusia high-speed line has been suspended following a rear-end collision between two trains. A spokesperson for the Castilla La Mancha regional government said a Renfe train and an Iryo train travelling from Madrid to Seville crashed and two Iryo wagons derailed, adding that the cause and the number of injuries were still being determined. The mayor of Urda, near Toledo, said emergency services had asked him to prepare a sports hall to accommodate the injured, and El Pais cited witnesses describing numerous injuries.

The crash is Spain’s second deadly high-speed accident this year. On January 18, at least 45 people were killed and 170 injured when two trains derailed near Adamuz in southern Spain, after an Iryo train derailed and crossed onto the opposite track into the path of an oncoming service.

At least 46 dead after two high-speed trains collide in Spain

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