Three Italian Women Missing After Train Collision in Spain

Moscow (ANTARA) – Italy’s Foreign Ministry has received reports that three of its nine nationals who were on the high-speed trains involved in an accident in Spain remain missing. All three are women.

“Based on the passenger lists for the Iryo train and preliminary information about the Renfe train, nine Italian nationals have so far been identified as affected by the incident,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

“Five passengers from the two trains have been found in stable condition, another passenger is being treated in a hospital in Toledo, while three others have been reported missing,” it said.

Italy’s Foreign Ministry said it was continuing to monitor the situation alongside the Italian Embassy and Consulate General in Madrid.

At the direction of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, consular officials will continue visiting hospitals near the crash site and centres where survivors have gathered, to obtain further information and provide assistance.

Citizens of Argentina, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and China were among those killed or injured in the train collision, Spanish newspaper El País reported, citing statements from the countries’ embassies in Spain.

The death toll could rise, as other bodies may still be trapped beneath the wreckage, said Esther Padilla, spokesperson for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha.

“All rescue teams are still working very carefully because we cannot yet confirm that there are no more fatalities among the twisted metal debris,” she told Spanish broadcaster RTVE.

Two passenger trains collided in Spain’s Toledo Province on 28 October after a computer malfunction disrupted the train safety system.

Authorities said nearly 70 people had been killed in the accident and declared three days of national mourning.

The Russian Embassy in Spain told RIA Novosti that it had received no reports from Russian nationals in connection with the train collision.