Spain identifies 66 of 69 victims in deadly high-speed train crash

Spanish authorities have identified 66 of the 69 fatalities from Wednesday's collision near Urda in Toledo province, the regional high court said Monday. Of those identified, 54 were Spanish nationals while four held US citizenship, with the remaining eight comprising citizens of Argentina, Canada, Czechia, France, Japan, Mexico, Portugal and Tunisia, according to a Sunday night update from the identification coordination center. Three missing-person reports remain active concerning two Australians and one Japanese national.

Prominent victims

Families have been notified in 60 cases involving 36 men and 24 women, according to the coordination center. Among the deceased are former labor minister Fatima Banez, who served under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and award-winning composer Marisa Manchado. The driver of the Renfe train, 36-year-old Antonio Acedo, and his assistant Daniel Cabanas also perished, along with 24-year-old long jumper Julieta Gallego, according to broadcaster Cadena SER.

Investigation underway

More than 60 specialists have worked in Toledo since Wednesday conducting autopsies and identification procedures using fingerprints and DNA analysis. The fatal crash occurred when a Renfe high-speed train struck the rear of a stationary Iryo train near Urda — a failure in the automatic train protection system had halted both trains before a controller authorized the Renfe service to resume normal speed, Transport Minister Oscar Puente said.

Speaking at the World in Progress forum on Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said independent investigators and courts would receive all necessary resources to establish the facts. "Our main obligation as the government of Spain is to restore the public’s shattered confidence in high-speed rail as soon as possible, whatever it takes," he said. The incident marks the second deadly accident on the Madrid-Seville route this year, following a January collision that killed 46 people.