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The collision occurred on 28 October near Urda, on the Madrid–Seville high-speed line, when a Renfe AVE train struck a stationary Iryo service.
It followed another fatal accident on the same railway corridor in January, when 46 people died near Adamuz in Córdoba province.
The latest disaster has raised questions about how Spain manages one of Europe’s largest high-speed railway networks and whether its safety systems have kept pace with expanding passenger traffic.
According to an updated report from Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE, 56 of the 69 confirmed fatalities had been identified by Saturday evening, 31 October.
Forty-one injured passengers remained in hospital, including 19 receiving intensive care. The authorities were continuing their investigation and identification work.
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The accident has exposed disagreements between the government and railway unions over the condition of Spain’s infrastructure.
[Transport Minister Óscar] Puente has highlighted the apparent decision taken by traffic controllers after the signalling failure.
Railway workers’ representatives argue that attention should also be directed towards equipment reliability, staffing levels and the pressures facing control-centre personnel.
As Reuters reported, the minister acknowledged that the LZB system experiences approximately 170 interruptions annually, describing this frequency as consistent with historical averages.
The Madrid–Seville route is undergoing an upgrade to the European Rail Traffic Management System, intended to improve interoperability and train protection across European railways.
The upgrade has been delayed.
A contract awarded in 2021 envisaged the installation of the newer system by early 2026. Following contractual changes, the equipment is now expected to enter operation in early 2027.
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