At least 68 people were killed and dozens more injured when a high‑speed train travelling from Madrid to Seville collided with a stationary train near the town of Adamuz on Wednesday morning. The crash, one of the worst rail disasters in Spain’s recent history, has prompted a three‑day national mourning period.
Emergency crews worked through the night under powerful floodlights, cutting open metal carriages to search for victims. Many of those killed are still to be identified, and the civil guard has been collecting DNA samples to locate missing persons’ relatives.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the “whole of Spain is grieving” and that “lives have been shattered, families have been torn apart, the pain is immense.” The European Commission has flown EU flags at half‑mast in Brussels as a sign of solidarity during Spain’s mourning period.
As the country mourns, authorities continue to work to identify victims and determine the exact circumstances that led to the tragedy.
