A Renfe high-speed train collided with a stationary Iryo train near Urda, Toledo, on October 28, killing 69 people . The crash occurred about 150 kilometers south of Madrid . An automatic signaling system failure had stopped all trains on a 63-kilometer section, but the Renfe driver was given permission to continue despite the Iryo train remaining stationary on the same tracks . Iryo, a subsidiary of the Italian state railway group FS, had stopped due to the signaling failure .
All 69 victims have been identified: 54 Spanish nationals and 15 foreigners from nine countries . The dead were 40 men and 29 women, all adults . Four Americans, two Australians, and two Japanese were among the dead . The remaining victims came from Argentina, Canada, and the Czech Republic. Others were from France and Mexico. The rest were from Portugal and Tunisia .
Forensic teams from across Spain completed the identification . The teams included 27 Civil Guard agents and nine toxicology specialists who used fingerprints and DNA from relatives . All families have been notified, and 55 have received the remains of their loved ones .
The crash is Spain's second deadly high-speed train collision this year . A January crash in Andalusia killed 46 people . Spain holds parliamentary elections on November 29 . Passengers have since reported spotting missing speed indicators on AVE trains .
Iryo has written to the State Railway Safety Agency proposing new protocols . The company suggested reducing speed to 40 km/h when the LZB signaling system fails . The Podemos party has called for the resignation of Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who has refused to step down . Adif, the rail infrastructure manager, denied rejecting safety recommendations from the CIAF commission after a 2024 incident with similar human errors .
On Tuesday, the Council of Ministers is expected to approve a victim aid package . The measures include doubling mandatory insurance compensation and providing advance payments . The plan also improves temporary disability benefits and creates comprehensive assistance offices for victims and their families . The Association of Adamuz derailment victims has published a guide advising Urda victims to prioritize themselves and their families .
