Photo credit: ABC News
A high-speed train slammed into the rear of another train that had stopped in central Spain, derailing two cars and killing at least 68 people Wednesday morning, according to local sources.
CBS News reports that the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha confirmed the death toll and said another 58 people were receiving medical treatment at hospitals. Rescue workers continue searching the wreckage for survivors and bodies.
Spain’s railway operator ADIF said the crash occurred Wednesday morning. Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
Padilla told state broadcaster TVE that the accident involved two high-speed trains heading in the same direction from Madrid to Seville, and that one hit the tail of the other while it was stopped, knocking two of its cars off the track.
The accident involved a train from Spain’s state-owned RENFE company and the private rail company IRYO. Trains from those two companies were also involved in a deadly crash in January. Padilla said 397 passengers were in the RENFE train and 147 passengers were in the IRYO train.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said that emergency workers were focused on rescuing survivors and bodies from the most damaged train cars.
One passenger said, “We were all thrown into the air.” He said he was “reasonably OK” but that his friend was in much worse condition.
