CALGARY — At least 64 people have been killed and 179 injured, including two Canadians, after two high-speed passenger trains collided in central Spain on Wednesday morning, marking the country's second deadly rail disaster this year.The collision occurred shortly before 9 a.m. local time near the town of Urda, in Toledo province, approximately 130 kilometres south of Madrid.According to Spanish authorities, a high-speed train operated by state-owned Renfe slammed into the rear of a stationary train operated by private railway company Iryo.Both trains were travelling in the same direction along the Madrid-Seville high-speed railway line when the collision occurred, causing several carriages to derail and sending wreckage down an embankment.The Castilla-La Mancha regional government confirmed the death toll had risen to at least 64, while reports indicated approximately 179 others had been injured. According to Spanish outlet Atalayar, around 50 people were reported to be in very serious condition.Authorities have warned the number of fatalities could rise as emergency crews continue searching the wreckage..A total of 544 passengers were travelling aboard the two trains at the time of the collision. Regional government spokesperson Esther Padilla said the Renfe train was carrying 397 passengers, while another 147 were aboard the Iryo service.Emergency responders, including firefighters, police officers, medical personnel and members of Spain's Military Emergency Unit, were dispatched to the scene.Images and videos from the crash site showed severely damaged train carriages, twisted metal and debris scattered along the railway tracks and surrounding embankment. Ambulances and medical helicopters transported injured passengers to nearby hospitals, while buses were arranged to evacuate survivors.Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that at least two Canadians were injured in Wednesday's deadly high-speed train collision in Spain.According to the Canadian Press, Carney expressed Canada's solidarity with the victims and their families, indicating that Ottawa would provide assistance as needed.The extent of the Canadians' injuries has not been disclosed, and their identities have not been publicly released.Emergency crews continue searching the wreckage for survivors and victims as authorities investigate the cause of the collision..Wednesday's collision comes just nine months after another deadly railway accident involving Renfe and Iryo trains in southern Spain.On January 18, an Iryo train derailed near Adamuz, in Córdoba province, and collided with an oncoming Renfe train.The accident killed more than 40 people and injured dozens of others, raising concerns about the safety of Spain's extensive high-speed railway network.Wednesday's disaster is now the country's deadliest railway accident since 2013, when 80 people were killed after a passenger train derailed near Santiago de Compostela.Spain operates one of the world's largest high-speed railway networks, with approximately 3,900 kilometres of track connecting major cities throughout the country. The network has expanded significantly over recent decades, with private operators entering the market alongside state-owned Renfe.Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said to KUAR emergency workers were concentrating their efforts on the two most heavily damaged carriages, where passengers remained trapped."It was a high-speed impact, so we are expecting this to be a tragedy," García said.The nearby town of Urda was also asked to prepare a sports pavilion to accommodate passengers affected by the disaster.The cause of the collision remains under investigation, although preliminary reports suggest a possible signalling-system malfunction followed by human error.According to Spanish outlet El País, government sources indicated that a malfunction in the railway's automated signalling system may have forced controllers to manage train movements manually.Initial accounts suggest several trains were brought to a halt after the signalling problem developed.The Renfe train was subsequently reportedly authorized to continue travelling despite the Iryo train remaining stationary on the tracks ahead.Investigators are examining whether an incorrect instruction from a railway controller allowed the Renfe train to proceed.The reports also suggest the Renfe train may have passed a signal requiring it to stop, although the circumstances surrounding that movement have not been conclusively established.Spanish authorities have not announced a final determination regarding the cause of the collision..Spain's railway infrastructure operator Adif suspended high-speed train services between Madrid and the southern Andalusia region following the collision.The disruption affected services connecting Madrid, Ciudad Real and several destinations in southern Spain.Authorities continued working to secure the crash site, recover victims and determine the circumstances leading to the collision. The investigation remains ongoing.
