Two AVE high‑speed trains collided just outside Toledo on Wednesday, forcing a complete halt on the Madrid‑Ciudad Real line.
This marks the second high‑speed rail disaster in Spain this year; the January crash that killed 45 people when a train left the tracks and struck an oncoming service remains the deadliest since 2013.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted a message on X, describing the incident as "shocking" and offering condolences to victims and families.
Emergency teams are coordinating rescue operations across the site, while rail authorities have suspended all services between Madrid and Andalusia pending investigation.
Investigators from the Ministry of Transport will examine the causes, and officials expect a safety review to be announced soon as the national rail network recalibrates its protocols.