In brief
A high‑speed train collision near Urda, Spain, has killed at least 68 people and injured many, including two South Korean nationals. Korean officials report one passenger sustained minor injuries and was discharged, while the second remains hospitalized. Investigators are probing for signalling or control‑center errors, with reports diverging on whether the cause was a computer failure or human error. The incident has prompted Madrid‑based officials to declare three days of national mourning.
A high‑speed train collision near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province claimed at least 68 lives, and two South Korean passengers were injured, the Korean foreign ministry said Thursday. The ministry confirmed that one Korean passenger sustained minor injuries and was discharged after treatment, while the other remains hospitalized.
Both trains, carrying over 500 passengers, were on the same high‑speed line between Madrid and Seville when a Renfe AVE train struck a stationary Iryo carriage, derailing two carriages and sending them into an embankment. Spanish authorities say the crash occurred early Wednesday and are investigating a possible computer or signalling failure.
The Seoul‑based ministry added that of the 11 Korean citizens confirmed aboard the trains, one was discharged from the hospital and the other remains in the care of local medical staff. “Our embassy in Spain is maintaining close contact with local authorities and continuing to check for any additional Korean casualties,” the ministry said.
At the scene, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning, saying, “Spain is in mourning.”
“Spain is in mourning.”
Said local government spokesperson Emiliano Garcia‑Page that about 80 people were injured, “about 50 of them seriously and 15 critically.”
Other reports differ on injury totals: a United Press International article cites about 100 injured, while a WAM story reports 58 injuries. The UPI piece also notes a computer failure that allowed trains to run without speed restrictions, whereas the WAM report points to “human error” made in inexplicable circumstances. Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the control centre mistakenly permitted the following Renfe train to depart despite a red signal. Debate over the exact cause remains open as investigators continue their work, and Spanish authorities remain focused on rescuing survivors and identifying all victims.
