Spain high-speed train crash leaves at least 68 dead, over 100 injured including 1 Filipino
The Philippine Embassy in Spain has confirmed that at least one Filipino suffered an injury from the high-speed train crash that killed at least 68 on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
"As of this time, we have verified information of one Filipino national who sustained a minor injury and was brought to a hospital for medical attention," wrote the embassy in a statement released late Wednesday.
The embassy is in close coordination with Spanish authorities and the train operators involved in the incident to determine if there are more Filipinos impacted by the crash.
According to AFP, at least 68 people have been confirmed to have died in the crash on the Madrid-Andalusia line.
Two trains collided between the municipalities of Mora and Orgaz, about 140 km south of the capital Madrid, just after 8 a.m. Wednesday (around 3 p.m. Philippine time).
A high-speed train travelling from Madrid bound for the southern region collided with another train that was supposedly stationary. From the impact of the crash, at least two carriages fell down an embankment.
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Per state broadcaster RTVE, quoted by BBC, the Spanish transport ministry said a state-owned Renfe train crashed into the rear of a privately owned Iryo train.
Its train was "struck from behind," according to an Iryo representative, who also said the cause of the crash "is still unknown," per BBC.
According to Transport minister Oscar Puente, six moving trains had to be stalled following a computer failure, which apparently also affected the two trains involved in the crash.
Per Puente, the control centre took over then, which caused the trains to move again, but without any speed limits. This led to the Renfe train crashing into the stationary Iryo train.
Over 500 passengers were onboard both trains, according to authorities.
While it is waiting for verified information to become available, the embassy released helpline numbers for family members and friends of Filipinos who may have been aboard either of the two trains. They may call the Renfe family helpline at (+34) 900 101020 and the embassy's 24/7 hotline at (+34) 616 491861.
This is the fifth deadly train incident in Spain this year. On January 21, a high-speed commuter train derailed near Barcelona. By then, three other rail accidents had already occurred in the country.
Two days later, a train collided with a crane arm near the port city of Cartagena.
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