Two High-Speed Trains Collide in Central Spain Killing at Least Ten

Two high-speed passenger trains collided in Spain's central Toledo province on Wednesday morning, killing at least 10 people and derailing two carriages on the line between Madrid and Andalusia.

A train operated by state rail company Renfe struck the rear of a stationary service operated by private company Iryo shortly after 9 a.m. local time near the town of Urda.

The impact derailed two carriages from the stationary train, sending some coaches down an embankment as rescue workers moved in to free trapped passengers.

The crash marks the second major high-speed rail disaster in Spain this year, after a January collision in southern Spain killed 45 people near Adamuz in Córdoba province.

Regional authorities warned that the initial death toll would likely increase as emergency teams cut through twisted metal to reach victims inside damaged passenger coaches.

"That number will surely rise," said Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government.

Padilla said 397 passengers were traveling aboard the Renfe train and 147 passengers were on the Iryo service, bringing the total number of passengers involved to 544.

Reports differed on the extent of casualties, with NPR and The Guardian reporting at least 10 deaths while the Times of India reported that at least 30 people had died.

The Times of India reported that a trainee railway worker was confirmed dead, while the driver of the Renfe high-speed train remained missing following the crash.

Manuel Galán, the mayor of Urda, said civil protection authorities requested that the town hall prepare a sports hall to shelter injured passengers and receive medical teams.

Emergency services deployed medical helicopters and mobilized regional hospitals in Toledo and Alcázar de San Juan to treat survivors transported from the crash site.

Spain's main political parties suspended activities for next month's general election, while Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, pledged full administrative support for victims.

"Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations," Sánchez said.

Initial reports cited by El País suggested that a main signalling system failure forced control operators to switch to manual instructions shortly before the collision occurred.

Rail infrastructure operator ADIF suspended all high-speed services between Madrid and Andalusia while investigators search for the missing driver and examine the signalling systems.