Relatives of people killed in the Urda rail collision have joined Spain’s king and queen at a funeral Mass in Toledo Cathedral, nearly two weeks after the disaster claimed 69 lives.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia attended the service on Tuesday 10 November, alongside relatives, injured people and representatives of national and regional institutions. The ceremony was organised by the Archdiocese of Toledo.
Near the cathedral’s main altar, candles represented those who died when two trains collided on the Madrid–Seville high-speed line on 28 October. Residents of Urda brought the 69 candles to the service, where a relative of one of the victims gave the first reading.
A sculpture of Christ was brought from Urda for the occasion. The image of the Cristo de la Vera Cruz, a 16th-century work associated with the town, stood at the centre of the commemoration alongside the candles.
The Archbishop of Toledo, Francisco Cerro Chaves, led the Mass. In his address, he offered support to the families and injured people, thanked those who had responded to the disaster and called for its causes to be clarified.
After the service, the king and queen spoke with relatives and people injured in the collision. The royal household said they had also visited injured patients at Toledo’s university hospital on 29 October and met families of people then reported missing.
A gathering for families and public representatives
Among those at the cathedral were Carlos Cuerpo, who has taken responsibility for the transport portfolio, and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the opposition People’s Party. Regional president Emiliano García-Page was also present, as were other ministers and regional and local representatives.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez did not attend. He said he did not attend religious services as a rule. The funeral was a Catholic service organised by the archdiocese; its religious character and the prime minister’s absence drew political debate.
The crash happened near Urda, in the province of Toledo, when a moving high-speed train struck another train that was stationary on the line. The 69 deaths commemorated at the service relate to that collision, not to an earlier accident on the same route.
In January, a separate collision near Adamuz in Andalusia killed 46 people. Residents of both Urda and Adamuz were among those present at the Toledo service. The two accidents have raised questions about safety on a railway that connects Madrid with southern Spain.
Investigation and safety response
The investigation into the Urda collision was still in progress on Tuesday. Possible explanations have been discussed publicly, but the cause remained unresolved.
Óscar Puente resigned as transport minister after the crash, and Cuerpo subsequently took on the portfolio. The head of the railway infrastructure operator also resigned.
The funeral took place on the same day as a separate strike by train drivers seeking greater safety and maintenance investment. Spain’s cabinet approved measures including better channels for railway staff to raise safety concerns and greater scope to stop or not restart a train when they detect a risk.
The government also created the position of an ombudsman for victims of public transport accidents. The role is intended to coordinate support for affected people and their families, including psychological, social and legal assistance.
