Spain begins three-day mourning period after deadly train crash kills 68, raises safety concerns

Families seek news of victims

Emergency crews worked among the wreckage overnight as relatives searched for information about loved ones. A school in Urda, about 130km south of Madrid, has been opened to enquiries, with Red Cross teams supporting arriving families.

Civil Guard teams established clinics where relatives could give DNA samples to help identify victims. One of the first people named was José Manuel Chacón, a 31-year-old Guardia Civil agent.

Emiliano García-Page, leader of Castilla-La Mancha’s regional government, said more victims might be found because crews had not yet reached the bottom of the carriages. Officials reported that 107 people had received hospital care, with 15 in serious condition.

Investigation turns to rail safety

The transport minister described an “error” and “inexplicable circumstances” in connection with the collision. The causes remain under investigation, and officials said any security-system failures or negligence would be addressed with the “utmost severity”.

The People’s party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, urged an immediate investigation and a “complete and independent review” of Spain’s rail network. He said the public had a right to know what was happening with the country’s infrastructure.

Second fatal collision this year

The crash was Spain’s second deadly rail collision this year. In January, 46 people died and dozens were injured when two trains, one operated by Renfe and the other by Iryo, collided on the same line near Adamuz in Andalucía.

The latest disaster has renewed scrutiny of rail safety as Spain observes three days of mourning. Relatives continue to await information while authorities work to identify victims and establish what happened.