6 Koreans suffer minor injuries in Spain train crash

Two high-speed trains collided near Toledo, south of Madrid, on Wednesday morning. According to El Pais English, a Renfe train collided with a stationary Iryo train at approximately 9 a.m. on the Madrid-Andalusia line. The collision caused several carriages to derail, with El Pais English reporting that at least three carriages from the Iryo train and one from the Renfe service plunged down an embankment.

The Korea Times reported that six Koreans were aboard the trains and sustained minor injuries; the South Korean embassy has dispatched personnel to assist them.

The collision resulted in significant casualties. While The Korea Times and El Pais English reported a death toll of at least 30, Punch Nigeria cited provisional figures from Spanish authorities placing the death toll at at least 31 with 80 injured. Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castilla La Mancha region, told TVE that the trains were heading in the same direction from Madrid to Seville when one ran into the rear of a stopped train.

El Pais English noted that the Iryo service was carrying 147 passengers and the Renfe service had 397 passengers, for a total of 544 people traveling on the two trains.

In response to the tragedy, the Spanish Football Federation announced it would postpone 24 matches in the first round of the Copa del Rey. Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real, and Andalusia. While the cause of the crash was not known by Padilla, El Pais English reported that initial findings point to a signal passed at danger, suggesting the AVE train may have passed a signal instructing it to stop.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times, Punch Nigeria, The Korea Times, El Pais English, Global News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.