On October 28, 2026, a Renfe high-speed train traveling at up to 124 mph collided with a stationary Iryo train near Urda, Spain, killing at least 69 people and injuring over 100. The crash followed a computer failure that disabled the LZB safety system across 63 kilometers of track. Adif controllers issued an inexplicable order authorizing the Renfe train to proceed at normal speed despite an active stop signal. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning.
Details of the collision
- ▪The October 28, 2026 collision occurred at 08:53 AM along the Madrid-Seville high-speed rail line in Toledo province.
- ▪A high-speed Renfe AVE train crashed into the rear of a stationary private Iryo train near Urda on October 28, 2026.
- ▪The Renfe train was traveling at an estimated speed between 99 mph and 124 mph at the moment of impact.
- ▪The impact derailed multiple carriages and sent at least three carriages plunging down an embankment.
LZB safety system failure
- ▪The German-designed LZB safety system, which monitors train speeds, has been in operation on the line since the 1990s.
- ▪A computer communication failure at 08:30 AM disabled the LZB safety system along a 63-kilometer stretch of track.
- ▪The computer failure automatically halted six trains traveling on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line.
Erroneous authorization to proceed
- ▪Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the control center's decision to authorize normal running speed as an inexplicable erroneous decision.
- ▪Standard safety protocols required the Renfe train driver to proceed on sight at a maximum speed of 40 km/h.
- ▪At 08:36 AM, Adif controllers in Madrid authorized the Renfe driver to proceed under normal operations despite a red signal.
Casualties and identified victims
- ▪More than 100 passengers were injured in the crash, with at least 15 remaining in critical condition.
- ▪A Portuguese train crew member and a Civil Guard officer named José Manuel were confirmed among the fatalities.
- ▪Former Spanish government minister Fátima Báñez and 24-year-old athlete Julieta Gallego were among those killed in the collision.
- ▪The collision on October 28, 2026 near Urda killed at least 69 people.
Identification of victims and missing persons
- ▪Spanish Civil Guard officers set up special bureaus to collect DNA samples from relatives of missing passengers.
- ▪As of October 30, 2026, the Civil Guard had received reports of 64 to 67 missing persons.
- ▪Forensic teams had performed Forty-nine autopsies by October 30, 2026 to aid in identifying crash victims.
Official response and national mourning
- ▪Spanish political parties suspended public campaign activities ahead of the scheduled November 29 national election.
- ▪Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of official national mourning
Iryo driver warnings
- ▪Audio recordings indicated the stationary Iryo train driver notified controllers at 08:48 AM that her train could not restart.
- ▪At 08:41 AM on October 28, 2026, the Iryo train driver informed the control center that her train remained stopped near Urda due to a transmission loss.
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