Key facts about the rail crash in Spain: What is known so far about the collision?

Nine months after the Adamuz accident in Córdoba that claimed 46 lives, the Spanish rail system has suffered another fatal accident. Two trains traveling from Madrid to Seville — one operated by state rail company Renfe and the other by the private company Iryo — collided Wednesday morning between the towns of Mora, Orgaz, and Urda, in Toledo province. The collision has left at least 30 people dead among the 544 passengers traveling on the two trains. Renfe has reported that services between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia are currently suspended. Here is what is known so far.Where did the accident occur? The crash took place at 8:54 a.m. at kilometer marker 118, between the towns of Mora, Orgaz, and Urda (Toledo).How many passengers were on the two trains? The two trains that collided were carrying a total of 544 passengers, including one infant, according to information provided by Esther Padilla, spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha. The Iryo train was carrying 146 passengers and one infant; the Renfe 2080, meanwhile, was carrying 397 passengers.Are there any fatalities? Sources from the Castilla-La Mancha regional government have confirmed to EL PAÍS that there are “at least 30 fatalities.” They note that rescue efforts by firefighters are still underway. Sources from the central government maintain that Wednesday’s accident “may be worse” than the one in Adamuz.What caused the accident? Padiila has stated that, for now, the official cause of the accident is unknown. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation explained that, according to initial indications, the AVE may have rear-ended the Iryo train, causing two cars from the latter to derail and fall down an embankment.Sources within the ministry indicate that the Renfe train involved in the accident had stopped and slowed down minutes earlier due to a traffic problem on the line. The explanation points to human error, because when the safety system failed, about eight trains in the area came to a stop; they were then ordered to proceed, but the Iryo train was unable to do so and remained stationary. An operator at the Atocha control center in Madrid mistakenly gave the Renfe train the order to proceed even though the Iryo was blocking the track, and this ultimately led to a rear-end collision — at a speed yet to be determined — between the Renfe train and the Iryo. Investigations are ongoing, but these are the initial findings from the technicians, according to government sources.How is the emergency being handled? At 9:15 a.m., the administration of Castilla-La Mancha activated the Territorial Emergency Plan (Platecam) at Operational Situation 1 in Toledo. For now, it has requested the assistance of the Military Emergency Unit (UME).Civil Guard personnel, fire crews from the Toledo and Ciudad Real Provincial Fire Department Consortium, volunteers from Civil Protection groups, and medical personnel from the Castilla-La Mancha Health Service (Sescam) have been dispatched to the accident site, where they are setting up an advanced medical post.Will there be a judicial investigation? The judicial district located in Orgaz (Toledo) will take charge of the investigation, according to sources within the judiciary. The courts of first instance and preliminary investigation in that town will be responsible for determining the number of fatalities. As was the case with the Adamuz accident, it is expected that these courts will investigate the causes of the accident.Has train service been suspended? Train service on the high-speed corridor between Madrid and Andalusia has been completely suspended since 8:54 a.m. due to the accident. The accident has affected medium-distance high-speed services. Iryo has issued a statement on its X account announcing that it has canceled all services departing from Atocha and bound for the southern corridor due to the train accident in Toledo. There is no estimate as to when service will resume. The company has stated that it has activated “all emergency protocols” and is “working closely” with the authorities to manage the situation. Renfe has reported that service between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia is currently suspended.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition