Spain reckons with second deadly train crash of the year ahead of national election

Two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid near Urda, Toledo, on Wednesday, resulting in at least 69 deaths and more than 100 injuries. IOL describes the incident as Spain's deadliest rail disaster since 2013. According to the New Straits Times, media reports indicate the collision occurred after a computer malfunction disabled the safety system. Authorities have declared three days of national mourning.

The accident comes nine months after another deadly crash on the same line, which France 24 reports has led to accusations of underinvestment in railway infrastructure under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government. The incident has dealt a serious blow to Sanchez’s campaign ahead of a national election.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday that no Malaysians were affected by the collision. The ministry expressed condolences to the Spanish government and thanked Spanish authorities for their cooperation with the Malaysian Embassy in Madrid during efforts to verify if any citizens were involved.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, IOL, New Straits Times — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.