A major rail disaster in Spain was caused by the wrong decision of the operators, and a three-day mourning has begun.

Former Spanish Labor Minister Fatima Banez was among the 69 people killed in a high-speed rail collision near Urda, in the province of Toledo, officials confirmed on Thursday. The former official, aged 59, was traveling on a private operator's train bound for Seville when the vehicle was struck from behind by a state-run service. Her death brings the toll of the accident, which occurred on Wednesday, to at least 69 fatalities, with more than 100 others injured. The collision took place just before 9:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Two trains, one operated by the state-owned Renfe and the other by the private company Iryo, were traveling south from Madrid toward Andalusia. According to Transport Minister Oscar Puente, an automated traffic control system failed due to a technical glitch, causing trains on the affected section to stop automatically. Operators subsequently managed traffic manually. Authorities indicated that a key factor in the disaster was the decision to allow the moving Renfe train to proceed while the Iryo train remained stationary on the tracks. Investigators have not yet released final findings, though initial assessments suggest human error played a decisive role. The impact was severe enough to derail multiple carriages, sending them sliding down the embankment. Estimates suggest the Renfe train may have been traveling at speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour prior to the impact. Banez, a member of the center-right People's Party, was heading to Seville to attend a business event organized by the Confederation of Andalusian Entrepreneurs. For several hours following the crash, her status remained unknown as rescue teams searched the wreckage. Her death was officially confirmed by the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations, known as CEOE, where she served as president of the foundation since 2020. In a statement on social media, CEOE Vice President Lorenzo Amor described her as a close friend and wrote that she had left him waiting for her at Santa Justa station. The People's Party also confirmed her passing, with party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo describing her as an indefatigable woman and loyal friend dedicated to improving the lives of Spaniards. Banez was born in 1967 in San Juan del Puerto, in the province of Huelva. She held degrees in law and economics from the Pontifical University of Comillas. She served as a member of parliament for Huelva for nearly two decades, holding office from 2000 until 2019. Her political career reached its peak in December 2011 when Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy appointed her Minister of Employment and Social Security. She led the design of labor reforms in 2012 and briefly served as Health Minister in 2016. She remained in cabinet until June 2018, when Rajoy lost a vote of confidence and Pedro Sanchez became Prime Minister. After leaving active politics, Banez joined the boards of major corporations, including Rovi and Iberdrola Energy International, before taking the leadership role at the CEOE foundation. The tragedy has triggered a three-day national mourning period in Spain. It marks the second major rail disaster in the country within ten months. In January, 46 people died when two trains collided near Adamuz in Andalusia, followed shortly by another incident near Barcelona that killed a driver. These consecutive disasters have intensified scrutiny over the maintenance and safety protocols of Spain’s extensive high-speed rail network. With legislative elections approaching in one month, the incidents have placed significant pressure on the government. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the emergency command center in Toledo, stating that authorities are working around the clock to clarify the causes of the accident. He pledged a rapid and effective response. King Felipe VI visited a hospital in Toledo to meet with injured survivors and called for measures to prevent future catastrophes. Reactions extended beyond Spanish borders. The European Commission stated it was prepared to offer assistance to Spain. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and President Nataša Pirc Musar expressed their condolences. The French Foreign Ministry reported that several French nationals remain missing. The Spanish Foreign Ministry noted that 42 foreign citizens from seven countries were aboard the trains, with one fatality and at least seven injuries among them. Rail traffic between Madrid and Andalusia has been suspended. Rescue operations continued through the night, utilizing cranes to lift twisted metal and drones to survey the site. Regional leader Emiliano Garcia-Page reported that while rescue teams did not expect to find more bodies in one overturned carriage, unidentified body parts were recovered requiring forensic analysis. Of the 110 patients hospitalized in the Castilla-La Mancha region, 60 have been discharged, while 50 remain admitted. Four of the fifteen patients in critical condition showed positive signs of improvement. The capacity of the local morgue in Toledo, typically limited to 30 spots, was exceeded, necessitating the setup of a temporary facility nearby equipped with tents and refrigerated chambers. Twenty-five forensic doctors were mobilized to assist with identification efforts. Train drivers initiated a strike to demand increased investment in railway safety infrastructure.