69 Dead in Spanish Rail Collision

Sixty-nine people died in a high-speed train collision in central Spain last Wednesday.

The accident near the village of Urda, located 130 kilometers south of Madrid, is one of the deadliest rail disasters in Europe this century. Authorities announced the 10 latest confirmed foreign victims late Sunday. The list includes four US citizens and one each from Canada, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Tunisia, and the Czech Republic. Prior to this update, officials had already confirmed the deaths of a French citizen, a Portuguese citizen, and 54 Spaniards.

All but three of the victims are now identified. Three missing persons reports remain active for two Australians and one Japanese citizen. A legal body composed of police and forensics experts manages the identification process. Relatives have waited for results while teams work to match remains, sometimes using individual body parts.

The statement noted that contacted families wished to travel to Spain for in-person identification. Officials are currently awaiting their arrival. The crash involved a Renfe state operator service striking the back of a stationary Iryo train. A control center authorized the Renfe service to move after an automatic safety system failure halted all trains on a 63-kilometer stretch of track.

This incident is Spain's second high-speed train collision this year. A previous crash in Andalusia in January killed 46 people. The event occurs one month before the general election on November 29. Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez seeks to extend his eight-year premiership despite unfavorable polls.