The crash took place on the Madrid‑Sevilla high‑speed line between Mora and Orgaz, just north of Toledo. A Renfe AVE train carrying 397 passengers slammed into the rear of an Iryo train that had about 150 passengers aboard. The impact tore the cars off the tracks, leaving a mangled wreckage that loomed over the valley.
Adif, the state‑owned rail infrastructure company, said the incident followed a fault in the main signalling system. The automatic safety system failed, triggering a switch to manual control, and the worker on duty failed to issue the warning that the Iryo train was approaching. An official told El Pais that the employee’s error was the likely cause of the collision.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, with rescuers crawling out of broken windows and treating victims in the field. Survivors described the crash as a chaotic explosion, with limbs shattered and bodies piled together like overturned cargo. The first bodies were found a few meters from the wreckage, and ambulances filled the nearby road.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez canceled all scheduled meetings and posted a statement on X, saying he was in constant contact with the Minister of Transport and the regional premier. He pledged solidarity with the victims, while transport authorities announced a full investigation and a temporary halt of the Madrid‑Sevilla service.
The Ministry of Transport will convene an expert panel by the end of the week to review the signalling incident and assess safety protocols. The high‑speed line is expected to remain closed until the inquiry concludes, prompting commuters to seek alternative routes.