At least 64 dead after a high-speed train rear-ends another train near Toledo. A Renfe AVE train struck an Iryo train on the Madrid–Seville route, derailing carriages and sending some down an embankment. The cause is still under investigation, but this is Spain’s second deadly high-speed rail disaster in nine months.
Incredible levels of fumbling. With the reliable modern train signaling systems on high speed rail system, it’s hard to understand how a train rear ending even occurred. Mind boggling! https://t.co/EoioKt0VRw
— Rokko 🌐✈︎ (@Msamalam) October 28, 2026
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/28/spain-train-crash-fatalities/
January 18, 2026: 46 dead when a derailed Iryo train collides with an oncoming Renfe train near Adamuz. The preliminary investigation focused on a possible defect in the track, rail or weld. The accident raised questions about maintenance and infrastructure, especially because it happened on a line that had reportedly been renovated.
https://www.reuters.com/world/spains-deadliest-train-disasters-2026-01-19/
July 24, 2013: 79 dead after a train enters a curve at more than twice the speed limit near Santiago de Compostela. The train was traveling at 179 km/h where the limit was 80 km/h. The investigation pointed to excessive speed and driver distraction, while victims’ families also questioned why the safety systems failed to prevent the disaster.
September 9, 2016: Four dead after a Portuguese-operated train derails near O Porriño. The train was traveling at 118 km/h on a section limited to 30 km/h. It was another fatal accident involving excessive speed, although it was not a high-speed rail service in the same category as the 2013 and 2026 disasters.
Spain has one of the world’s largest high-speed rail networks. Passenger numbers have surged, and the network has been opened to private operators. But a Guardian analysis says that while Spain spends heavily on rail, a relatively small share of its investment has gone toward maintenance, renewal and upgrades. The government disputes the suggestion that it has neglected the network and says maintenance spending has risen.
Two deadly high-speed rail disasters in nine months, on routes linking Madrid with southern Spain, demand a serious answer.
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