Two high-speed trains crashed in central Spain on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people and injuring dozens others, with witnesses describing a loud thump and the remains of the trains strewn across the landscape as crews worked to free passengers.
A high-speed train slammed into the back of a stationary train in the Toledo province, between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes, knocking over two carriages, authorities said. The death toll may increase as rescue work is underway.
Sharing his account with Spanish radio station COPE, fellow passenger Miguel said: “We heard a huge noise, a huge impact, which lasted 10 seconds, as if the train was going to jump off the rails.”
Video from the crash site showed mangled metal and wreckage splayed out along an embankment. Rescuers focused on rescuing passengers caught inside the most damaged carriages, while the wounded were taken to hospitals.
According to the authorities, both operated by state-owned Renfe and private company Iryo, the trains had a combined number of more than 500 passengers. The cause of the collision was not immediately known.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called off his public meetings to throw his weight behind the tragedy, expressing hope for the victims and their loved ones.
Train services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia have been suspended following the accident.
The crash was Spain’s second major train disaster this year after a crash in southern Spain in January killed dozens of people.
