The collision tore through a flat stretch of countryside, shredding one carriage into fragments and scattering debris across a gravel slope.
Investigators say the crash followed a signal‑repair worker’s failure to warn an AVE train about an approaching Iryo train, a human error that set the two high‑speed cars on a fatal collision course.
Emergency crews from the Guardia Civil, SEPRONA, and the Servicio de Crimen y Policía Judicial converged on the site, with dozens of ambulances and fire trucks racing to the wreck, while civilians parked in nearby fields watched.
Health Minister Mónica García told TVE that injured survivors were being transported to hospitals across the region and that the tragedy was expected to be severe.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted a message of shock on X, noting his ongoing coordination with Transport Minister Oscar Puente and Castilla‑La Mancha's governor, while his office promised continued support to victims.
The accident follows a January collision that killed 46, raising questions about the safety of the country’s fastest rail network, and compels a comprehensive review of signal protocols and operator training across the Madrid‑Seville line.