Spain Train Collision Near Toledo Kills 68, Injures 68

Two high-speed trains collided in the Spanish province of Toledo on Wednesday, killing 68 people and injuring 68 others, the Castilla-La Mancha regional government said, according to NBC News. Together the two trains were carrying more than 500 passengers, NBC News reported.

It is the second deadly crash on the same high-speed rail line in less than a year. A separate accident on the line killed 46 people in January, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the scene Wednesday, per NBC News.

What happened near Toledo, step by step?

• Wednesday morning: A state-owned Renfe high-speed train and a train operated by private rail company Iryo were both on the same stretch of track near Toledo, Spain's transport minister Oscar Puente told reporters in Madrid, according to NBC News.
• Moments before impact: The Iryo train was stationary on the tracks, Puente said. The Renfe train was authorized to continue its journey despite an active red signal, he said.
• Collision: The two trains struck each other, sending several carriages off the rails. Photos from the scene showed cars lying on their sides and others twisted at angles with wheels sheared off, debris scattered through the surrounding countryside, NBC News reported.
• Immediate aftermath: Rescue teams began searching the wreckage as the regional government released casualty figures: 68 dead, 68 injured.
• Wednesday, later in the day: Sánchez traveled to the crash site and addressed reporters directly.

How many people were killed and injured?

The Castilla-La Mancha regional government said 68 people died and 68 were injured, NBC News reported. More than 500 passengers were aboard the two trains combined, according to the same report. The figures were current as of Wednesday; officials said rescue crews were still working through the wreckage when the tally was released.

What caused the crash, according to officials?

Spain's transport minister, Oscar Puente, told reporters in Madrid that the Renfe train was "authorized to continue its journey despite an active red signal and a stationary train from private rail company Iryo on the tracks ahead," NBC News reported. Puente's account points to a signal-authorization failure, though a full government investigation had not concluded as of Wednesday.

A passenger identified only as Miguel, who was riding in the rear car of one of the trains with several colleagues, described the moment of impact to Spain's COPE radio, as quoted by NBC News: "We heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail." He added, "Through the right-hand window, we could see a wrecked train — I imagine it must have been the other one."

How does this compare to January's crash on the same line?

Wednesday's collision is the second major accident on this high-speed line in under a year. A prior crash on the same line killed 46 people in January, Sánchez said, according to NBC News. Sánchez called the repeat failure unacceptable, saying, "It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to have two high-speed accidents in less than a year," per NBC News.

What happens next for Spain's rail network?

Sánchez said the government was investigating the cause of Wednesday's crash and any failures in the system, vowing action "if there has been negligence," NBC News reported. He said Spain needs to restore public confidence in its high-speed rail network. The prime minister is facing a snap election next month, a political backdrop NBC News noted comes as scrutiny of rail safety intensifies.

No timeline for the government's investigation findings was given in Wednesday's reporting. Renfe and Iryo had not issued separate statements included in the source reporting as of Wednesday's coverage. Readers in the Toledo area or traveling on the affected line should check directly with Renfe or Iryo for service updates, since neither operator's own statement was available in the reporting reviewed for this article.

Families searching for information on relatives were directed to regional emergency channels, per the Castilla-La Mancha government's casualty announcement cited by NBC News. No additional contact information was specified in the source material.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.