A collision between two high-speed trains in central Spain killed at least 64 people and injured about 80 on Wednesday, prompting condolences from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as officials warned the toll could rise.
Puente’s figure of at least 64 follows Castilla-La Mancha officials’ earlier confirmation of at least 30 deaths. Castile-La Mancha President Emiliano Garcia-Page said the current death toll might not be final.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said an IT failure disrupted the automatic safety system across about 60 kilometers of railway. Six trains were left stationary in the affected area. Adif, Spain’s rail infrastructure operator, later managed traffic through its control center, Puente said.
Erdogan posted on NSosyal, Türkiye’s social media platform, that he shared the grief of those who had lost loved ones. “…and I send Türkiye’s messages of unity and solidarity to the people and government of Spain,” he wrote. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery.
