The site of high-speed train collision in Toledo Province, Spain. — XINHUA/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm on Thursday sent a message of condolences to King Felipe VI of Spain following a serious railway accident that caused heavy loss of life.

The accident occurred on Wednesday near Urda in Toledo Province, south of Madrid, when a Renfe high-speed train collided with a stationary train operated by private rail company Iryo on the Madrid–Seville line.

The death toll had risen to 69 by October 29, with 57 injured people remaining in hospital, according to Spanish authorities. Rescue teams continued searching the wreckage for victims as investigations into the cause of the collision got under way.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three days of official mourning from October 29 to 31. Authorities have launched investigations to establish the circumstances of the crash, including the sequence of train movements and possible failures in railway safety and traffic control systems. The cause has not yet been officially determined. — VNS