What we know so far about deadly Spain train crash

Daily Mirror reports that at least 64 people died and dozens were injured in a collision between two high-speed trains near Urda, in Toledo province, with authorities warning that the toll might rise as crews reached damaged carriages. Ada Derana also reports 64 deaths. Newswire gives a preliminary toll of at least 50, while Sri Lanka Mirror and Hiru News report 68 and Lankadeepa reports 70.

Sri Lanka Mirror says the crash happened shortly after 09:00 on Wednesday, around 140 kilometres south of Madrid, between Mora and Orgaz. It reports that a train travelling from Madrid to Seville struck a stationary train, sending several carriages down an embankment. Lankadeepa says more than 100 people were injured, many seriously; Daily Mirror and Sri Lanka Mirror describe dozens injured.

According to Sri Lanka Mirror, the stationary train was operated by private company Iryo and had 147 passengers; it had stopped because of a computer failure, the transport minister said. The outlet reports that the minister attributed the crash to a computer failure followed by human error, saying a Madrid control centre directed the trains to move without speed restrictions. Iryo’s account, as reported by Sri Lanka Mirror, was that its train was struck from behind by a Renfe train carrying 397 people.

Sri Lanka Mirror reports that passengers were trapped in wreckage, some breaking windows to escape, and that one carriage caught fire. The outlet also describes track penetrating a carriage and passengers being trapped beneath debris. Ada Derana (සිංහල) reports that Spain declared three days of national mourning after the crash.