Spain train crash latest: Desperate search for people trapped in wreckage as at least 68 dead

Spain train crash latest: Desperate search for people trapped in wreckage as at least 68 dead Two trains ploughed into each other on the high-speed line between Madrid and Andalusia causing carriages to leave the tracks and roll down an embankment Rescuers are using cranes in a bid to find people trapped in wreckage after a horror train crash in Spain where at least 68 people have died including foreign nationals. Survivors have described horrifying scenes with dead bodies and people with missing limbs seen at the scene after a high-speed train collided with a stationary one sending carriages off the tracks and plunging down an embankment. More than 107 injured people are in hospital. The crash happened between RNEF and Iryo trains shortly before 9am on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line in Toledo province. One survivor described the scene as "apocalyptic", saying wrecked carriages had been reduced to a "twisted mass of metal" and it looked "as if a bomb had gone off". Another said: "There were dead bodies, there were missing limbs. I don’t know if that is something I will ever recover from." The cranes are now lifting a carriage to try and rescue people alive underneath, Monica Fortea, an evacuations expert, told RTVE Noticias Spain's transport minister, Oscar Puente, has said a computer failure led to the initial halt of six moving trains, including the two trains that subsequently collided. "In the event of a system failure, the control centre takes over," he said, adding it was the control centre which decided to allow the trains to move again, without any speed restrictions. That decision, Puente said, was "inexplicable". Iryo has contradicted the claims and said the driver did not receive an order to resume the journey, El Mundo reports. Key Events Rescuers using cranes in bid to free people trapped Rescuers are using cranes to shift the train's carriages where they lie amid the wreckage. This is being done in an attempt to "create new access points" to reach people inside. Monica Fortea, an evacuations expert, told RTVE Noticias: "What they're trying to do now is lift this carriage and rescue people alive from underneath. That's why the speed with which they act is crucial. "Normally, this would have been postponed until tomorrow if they didn't think there might be another life here." Protesters gather outside transport ministry in Madrid Pictures show a protest outside the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility in Madrid. Protesters are demanding accountability over the train crash, which killed at least 68 people and left dozens more injured. Their banner criticises "criminals in power under the '78 regime" - a term used to refer to Spain's current political system, which emerged following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. More than 100 injured The emergency service of Castilla-La Mancha has now confirmed that the number of injured people in hospitals in the area has now risen to 107. A statement reads: "At this moment, Emergency Services confirm that there are 107 people hospitalized in healthcare centres in Castilla-La Mancha." The Spanish health minister has previously said people are also receiving treatment in Madrid. Police officer among train crash victims The Spanish Civil Guard has confirmed that one of their officers are among those who lost their lives in the train crash. His names was José Manuel. A statement from the Civil Guard said: "We want to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of José Manuel, a Civil Guard officer who passed away today in the train accident in Urda, Toledo. "Likewise, we send a strong embrace to all the victims and their families and wish for a speedy recovery for all the injured individuals." UK Foreign Office 'in contact' with Spanish authorities after train crash The UK Foreign Office has said its teams are in contact with authorities in Spain following this morning's crash. So far, 68 have been confirmed dead and many more injured as emergency services remain on scene to continue their search and rescue operations. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the Mirror: "We are in contact with local authorities following reports of a train collision in Toledo, Spain. Our thoughts are with all those impacted. "We stand ready to provide consular assistance to any British Nationals involved." British Nationals in Spain who require assistance should call their nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate, or the FCDO in UK on +44 (0)20 7008 5000, selecting the option: "Consular services for British nationals". Anyone in the UK concerned about friends or family should also call +44 (0)20 7008 5000 for support. More than 100 crews on scene The Spanish interior minitry has said more than 500 crews are still on scene in Urda following the crash. These are 102 personnel from Civil Protection and Emergencies and 422 personnel from the Civil Guard. Three helicopters, drones, cavalry and dogs are also assisting. Foreign passengers among victims The exact number of missing people remains unclear following the train crash, as the Spanish command post states a clear figure won't be available for another few hours. El Pais reports Spanish authorities plan only to release figures regarding the number of those missing once a full inspection of the wrecked trains has been completed. Some of the victims have already been identified, with the government saying more fatalities are expected to be found in the Iryo carriages. El Pais added that foreigners are among the victims and contact has been made with the embassies of several counties. However, the possible nationalities of those involved have not been revealed. Mirror Online has approached the UK Foreign Office for comment. EU flags to fly at half-mast EU flags at all European institutions will fly at half-mast in the coming weeks as a sign of mourning for those lost in today's train crash in Spain. President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said this morning: "Just received the devastating news from Toledo on the collision of two high-speed trains. "My heart goes out to the victims’ families and loved ones. Today, Europe mourns with you." Flags started flying ay half-mast today and will continue doing so until early Sunday morning, reflecting the official mourning period of three days declared in Spain. Fifteen seriously injured Mónica García, Spanish health minister, said the number of injured patients currently stands at 80. The patients were taken to hospitals in Toledo, Albacete, Ciudad Real and Alcázar de San Juan. Three of them were taken to hospital in the capital of Madrid. Fifteen people are seriously injured, with Ms García saying she is waiting to hear on their evolution. She said: "All hospitals have activated their contingency plans, reinforcing emergency services and operating rooms and reorganising care activities. "My gratitude to the emergency services and to all the public servants who have attended to the victims and their families. "We remain attentive to the evolution of the situation, with all the resources of the Ministry of Health at the disposal of the competent authorities." 'Much pain and deep sorrow' President of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, said: "Much pain and deep sorrow. "The latest data we have is 68 deceased. "All units are activated and mobilised and will remain so for as long as necessary. "Once again, my gratitude to all the services, Civil Protection, GEACAM, the healthcare system, Civil Guard, UME, and all state and regional authorities. "From the heart, thank you." Spanish train crash in numbers There were 544 people on board the trains affected by the train accident, 397 on the AVE and 147 on the Iryo, Sur reports. So far, 68 have been confirmed dead and 77 are in hospital, with dozens seriously injured. Andalusian politician, Juanma Moreno, has declared three days of official mourning in Andalusia. This will be observed until 2pm on Saturday, October 31. Mr Moreno said: "We are devastated. All of Andalusia stands with the victims of this new railway accident." Over recent decades, Spain has invested heavily in high-speed rail – which the country’s railway union defines as rails for trains going 250 kph (155 mph) and over – turning it into a world leader. Spain has laid some 2,400 miles of such tracks over more than three decades for its 49 million residents. Only China, with 28,000 miles for its 1.4 billion people, has more high-speed track, according to the International Union of Railways. 'Everything went flying' Passenger Ignacio Relano was among those travelling on the RENFE train and told TVE that the train stopped momentarily before starting again and crashing into the IRYO service. He said: "We all felt the train abruptly slowing down and then the impact. The car leaned to one side like it was about to tip over. I hit my nose, everything went flying, luggage, cell phones. Everything shook." Spanish health minister Monica García said: "It was a high-speed impact, so we are expecting this to be a tragedy". At least 68 people have been confirmed dead so far. Oscar Puente, transport minister, said information about how fast the train was going was still being established. "I am not attributing responsibility to anyone, I am just stating the facts," Mr Puente said. Crash caused by 'inexplicable' order from central command centre Oscar Puente, Spain's transport minister, has now said the reason behind the crash was what he called the "inexplicable" order from a central command centre for Spanish trains after a security system had failed. He added that train engineers were not to blame and that the security system on a 39-mile stretch stopped working at 8.30am today due to a computer malfunction. This caused all trains on that stretch to stop. However, the central command told the RENFE train to start going again with no speed restrictions. This then resulted in the collision with the stopped IRYO train at 8.53am. Mr Puente said that the train should never have been told to start moving again since there was still a "stop signal" active on that line. If it had, at least it should have been told to go at reduced speed. 68 confirmed dead The number of those killed in today's train crash in Spain has now risen to 68, from 64 previously. 200 emergency military personnel deployed Spain's Emergency Military Unit (UME) has posted a video showing military rescue personnel working at the scene of a train crash. The unit also said that 200 officers had now been deployed. The UME posted on X saying: “The number of UME military personnel deployed to the Los Yébenes accident has risen to 200, with 70 resources. “The main objective of the deployment is the urgent location and rescue of trapped people, as well as the stabilization of the environment through the opening of access routes and the removal of heavy railway elements.” Rescue teams are now working to recover bodies At least 80 people were injured in the collision between two trains near the town of Urda in Toledo, while at least 64 deaths have also been reported. The spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, Esther Padilla, has confirmed that all the injured have been evacuated from the trains, and rescue teams are now working to recover the bodies. Andalusia declares 3 days of official mourning The president of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, has said on his social media account that "we are devastated." In a post on X he said: "We declare three days of official mourning in Andalusia, from 14:00 today until 14:00 next Saturday, October 31. "We are devastated. "All of Andalusia stands with the victims of this new railway accident." Missing former MP 'was on train' Former Spanish employment minister Fátima Báñez has been confirmed as having been on board one of the trains involved in the crash. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), which Ms Báñez now heads, confirmed she had been travelling on the Iryo service but said information about her wellbeing remained “pending”. Spanish outlet Demócrata has separately reported that she has not yet been located, citing sources close to the former minister. Train was 'struck from behind for reasons unknown' - operator High-speed rail operator Iryo has issued a new statement following the deadly crash near Urda. The company said its Madrid-to-Seville service had left at 7.54am carrying 147 passengers, three crew members, one barista and a driver. It said the train was struck from behind by a Renfe Class 103 service at around 8.48am for reasons that remain unknown. Iryo said it had activated its emergency protocols and was working with Renfe, Adif and the authorities as investigations into the crash continue. The operator said its “absolute priority” was those affected by the disaster. It has also cancelled all services leaving Madrid’s Atocha station for Spain’s southern high-speed rail corridor, with no estimated time for services to resume. 'Passengers are walking away with faces covered in blood, looking like zombies' A Spanish journalist at the scene described the scenes following the crash, as a major rescue efforts remains underway. Pilar García de la Granja told Mediodía COPE: "You can see dozens of local residents helping out passengers who are walking away, with their faces covered in blood, looking like zombies. "They don’t want to talk; they just want to get out." Video shows massive rescue effort A video released by Spain’s Civil Guard show the scale of the rescue effort currently underway at the site of the crash. Dozens of rescue workers are at the scene with images showing train track bent into alarming shapes and apparently puncturing the roof of one train car. Death toll rises to 64 At least 64 people have now died in the high-speed train crash in Spain, according to the regional government in Castilla-La Mancha. The latest figure means the crash has surpassed January’s deadly Adamuz disaster and is now being reported as Spain’s third-worst rail disaster since the 1970s. The death toll could still change as the emergency response continues. Spain suffered another deadly train crash earlier this year Today’s collision is the second deadly high-speed rail crash in Spain this year. At least 45 people were killed and 170 injured when two trains derailed near Adamuz in southern Spain on January 18. One Iryo service carrying around 300 passengers had been travelling between Malaga and Madrid when it derailed and crossed onto the opposite track. It then collided with an oncoming train carrying around 200 people travelling from Madrid to Huelva. An investigation later found that a fracture in the rail appeared to have occurred before the crash. Spanish football fixtures postponed in 'solidarity' with crash victims All of today’s Copa del Rey football matches have been postponed following the deadly train crash in Spain. The Royal Spanish Football Federation said 24 fixtures had been due to take place this afternoon and evening but were called off as a “sign of respect and solidarity” with those affected. A revised schedule will be announced in the coming days. The federation said Spanish football was “united in grief” and offered its support to the authorities helping victims of the crash. Local residents rush to scene to help walking wounded Residents living nearby to the crash site have rushed to help, ferrying those who are not seriously injured to local sports hall where an emergency centre has been set up." Anyone who can manage to walk, even those covered in bruises or with bloodied faces, is being taken in private cars to the sports hall in Urda," local resident José Luis told regional radio station Cope. Another volunteer, Pilar García de la Granja, said: "You can see dozens of local residents helping out passengers who are walking away, with their faces covered in blood, looking like zombies. "They don’t want to talk; they just want to get out. " Meanwhile at the scene four helicopters, dozens of ambulances, and fire engines are working tirelessly to attend to and evacuate the victims with more serious injuries. Deadly high-speed crash: What we know so far Here is what we know about the high-speed train crash in Spain: - At least 46 people are feared dead, with dozens more injured. - Two high-speed trains collided on the Madrid-Andalusia line shortly before 9am. - A Renfe AVE service travelling from Madrid to Seville and an Iryo train heading in the opposite direction were involved. - Carriages were thrown off the tracks, with wreckage ending up down an embankment. - High-speed services between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended following the crash. - Rescue teams, including air ambulances, have been deployed to the scene. - Survivors have described the scene as “apocalyptic”, with one saying wrecked carriages had been reduced to a “twisted mass of metal” and looked “as if a bomb had gone off”. - The circumstances surrounding the collision have not yet been established. Emergency military service activated More than 100 members of Spain's emergency military service have descended on the crash site. Personnel on site were “making available search and rescue capabilities, canine units, and extrication tools, not to mention the medical and psychological support teams,” the military emergency unit said. The specialists join a huge emergency response consisting of police, fire and ambulance crews already at the scene. ‘I saw a young man walking with an amputated arm’ Jesús, who was on the AVE train that collided with an Iryo train, told local radio station Cadena Ser of the horrific scenes following the crash. He said: "There was a sudden, hard braking, and everyone went flying; I hit the seat in front of me. We realised it was an accident and tried to evacuate as quickly as possible, because the carriage had overturned onto the tracks and there was a risk that it might fall further” Jesús said he had seen "many injured and dead,” he added: “It is an absolute emergency. I saw a young man walking with an amputated arm, and I saw bodies lying on the ground that, when touched, felt like corpses." Another passenger, Eduarda, described the harrowing scenes to the radio station Cadena SER. "I was sitting there calmly, with my two little cats beside me, when there was a sudden, violent jolt, and I was thrown forward in my seat. “People began to get out; there were people crying, and you could see bodies under the trains. So many people were trapped and couldn't get out; there was screaming... It was a nightmare." 'Bodies in the wreckage' A member of the Civil Guard, upon arriving at the scene of the accident said: "There were bodies among the wreckage" "I have never experienced anything like this. People were screaming and crying. We didn't even know where to begin our response," an officer explained. The collision between a Renfe train and an Iryo train in Urda (Toledo) has mobilised a large number of emergency services and local authorities in the region. The Civil Guard is among the teams working at the scene, and they were shocked by what they encountered upon arrival. "There were bodies amidst the twisted metal, among the wreckage of the train cars. It is a true tragedy of enormous magnitude," some of the officers told this newspaper. "We found people helping and assisting the injured who were trapped. (...) I have never experienced anything like this. There were people screaming and crying. We didn't even know where to begin our response," they added. At the moment, the tragedy has resulted in at least 50 fatalities, according to information released by Civil Protection. As for those injured, no official information has yet been provided by the relevant authorities. Video shows aftermath of crash Video taken at the scene shows the aftermath of the devastating train crash this morning.