A collision between two high-speed trains south of Madrid killed 30 people on Wednesday and the toll could rise, regional authorities said in Spain’s second such disaster this year, media reported.
Images shared by local media showed the wreckage of two trains strewn on the tracks and an embankment as emergency services rushed to the scene, while shocked travellers dragged away their suitcases as they escaped.
The accident in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha comes one month before Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who faced heavy criticism for the first disaster, seeks to overturn unfavourable polls in an early general election.
Sources from authorities in Castilla-La Mancha told AFP “at least 30” people had died, raising a previous toll of 10. Authorities have not yet given a toll for any wounded.
Esther Padilla, spokeswoman for the government of Castilla-La Mancha, had told local media CMM that “it is possible that the number will increase”.
State railway operator Renfe confirmed in a statement that the main high-speed line from Madrid to southern Spain had been suspended after one of its services suffered an accident with a train from private Spanish company Iryo.
A spokesperson for the Spanish emergency services told AFP the trains collided just before 9:00 am (0800 GMT) in the municipality of Urda, around 130 kilometres (80 miles) south of Madrid.
“All resources are currently being deployed,” the emergency services spokesperson said, including “several fire crews, three helicopters, and two mobile intensive care units”.
MNA
