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Spain is beginning three days of mourning after at least 68 people were killed and dozens more injured in one of the worst rail disasters in Europe’s modern history.
Emergency crews worked through the night under powerful lights to cut open metal carriages in search of victims, with many of those killed in the crash yet to be identified.
Officials are investigating the cause of the disaster, which occurred when a train traveling from Madrid to Seville collided with a stationary train on Wednesday morning.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that “all of Spain is mourning”, adding that “lives have been destroyed, families are being torn apart, the pain is immense”.
Hundreds of personnel have been deployed to the disaster site to help with recovery efforts, according to Spain’s interior ministry, with drones and helicopters being used to find victims and clear debris.
The stationary train, run by private rail operator Iryo, had 147 passengers on board, and stopped on the tracks due to a computer error, according to Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente.
