46 killed as 2 trains collide in Spain, human error likely cause: Report

Mangalore Today News Network/NDTV

Spain, Oct 28, 2026: At least 46 people have died and several injured in a train crash early on Wednesday near Madrid. After the incident, the rail service between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia was suspended.

The country’s rail system operator ADIF said that the crash happened in the province of Toledo at 9:00 AM local time.

According to ABC News, the train accident was caused because of a human error. A public utility worker repairing a main signaling fault allegedly failed to warn an AVE high-speed train about an oncoming Iryo train.

"Traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line has been suspended ​following a rear-end collision between two trains," ADIF said in a message posted on X on Wednesday.

A southbound state-owned Renfe AVE train rear-ended a stationary Iryo train on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed rail line. The impact sent carriages tumbling down an embankment.

The spokeswoman for the Castilla La Mancha region, Esther Padilla, said that 397 passengers were in the Renfe train and 147 passengers in the Iryo train.

Iryo, an Italian-owned company, said in a statement that it has "activated its security protocols and is closely working with authorities."

Spanish Prime Minister Reacts

The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday said that he was "shocked" after the second collision this year on Spain’s high-speed rail network.

"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo. I remain in constant contact with the Minister of Transport, @oscar_puente_, and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha, @garciapage. Emergency services are working on the ground to assist those affected and ensure their safety, in coordination with all the involved administrations. My affection, solidarity, and support to all the victims and their families", he wrote on X.

This marks the second catastrophic rail disaster on Spain’s high-speed network this year, following a derailment and subsequent collision in Adamuz back in January that claimed 45 lives. The crash was the deadliest in Spain since a 2013 crash that killed 80 people. The January incident shook the confidence the European country has in its extensive high-speed rail network.

Courtesy: NDTV