Royal Families Send Condolences After Toledo Train Crash Kills 69
At least 69 people died when two high-speed trains collided near Toledo, Spain, on Wednesday morning, October 28. Royal households across Europe have answered with messages of sympathy to King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
The crash happened on the Madrid to Seville line, near the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes in Toledo province, in central Spain. Reuters reported that a high-speed train slammed into a train that was stationary. The New York Times described it as a rear-end collision. Rail service between Madrid and Andalusia, the southern region that includes Seville, was halted after the crash.
Police have interviewed staff at a rail control centre in connection with suspected human error, according to The Independent. Officials have not said what caused the collision.
The Spanish royal family responded quickly. King Felipe and Queen Letizia canceled all previously scheduled engagements. They were expected to visit the University Hospital of Toledo to meet victims and their families. The king declared a period of national mourning in Spain from October 29 through October 31. In a declaration, he referred to the "terrible AVE accident near Toledo," using the name of Spain's high-speed rail service.
Other royal houses sent formal messages of condolence. A telegram, in royal usage, is a short official letter sent quickly. King Carl Gustaf of Sweden sent one to King Felipe, along with the Queen, expressing his deepest condolences over the loss of life. King Haakon of Norway wrote on behalf of himself and the Norwegian people. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands said their thoughts were with those affected.
Prince Albert of Monaco wrote to King Felipe on behalf of himself, Princess Charlene, his family and the people of Monaco. He said he felt profound sadness over the tragedy. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, sent a telegram to Archbishop Francisco Cerro Chaves of Toledo on behalf of Pope Leo XIV.
The Spanish royal household's official website has posted the king's declaration as a video. Its photo archive also lists a funeral mass held in memory of the victims of the railway accident.
Reuters reported on October 29 that the death toll had risen to 69. Earlier reports had put the number at least 68, and it could still change as officials confirm the count. Families are waiting for word about relatives who were on the trains.
