UN chief saddened by Spain train accident

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply saddened and shocked at learning of the train accident in Spain that killed over 60 people, his spokesman has said.

Guterres on Wednesday (local time) extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of Spain, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

At least 68 people were killed and dozens of others injured in the train accident in central Spain.

A high-speed train struck a stationary train from behind on the Madrid-Seville railway line in Toledo province on Wednesday morning, reports Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced three days of official national mourning on Wednesday following a catastrophic high-speed train collision, pledging a comprehensive judicial and technical investigation into the disaster.

Speaking to reporters from an emergency command operations post established near the crash site in Toledo province, Prime Minister Sanchez assured the public that state authorities would rigorously investigate the precise circumstances surrounding the collision and hold any responsible parties accountable if safety oversights or systemic failures are identified.

"We will get to the bottom of this," Sánchez declared, emphasising that any human error, operational negligence, or technical failures in automatic safety systems would be addressed decisively.

Underscoring the national impact of the tragedy, Sánchez noted that "all of Spain is in mourning."

He stressed that the immediate focus of emergency management teams remains centred on rescuing trapped survivors, assisting affected families, and delivering immediate medical intervention and long-term psychological support to victims.

According to preliminary reports, a state-operated Renfe high-speed train struck the rear of a stationary commercial Iryo train operating on the same track corridor.

Railway safety regulators and investigative agencies have initiated a formal inquiry to determine how two high-speed passenger trains came to occupy the same section of track.

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