Architect Joaquín Torres Survives Deadly High-Speed Train Crash in Central Spain

A catastrophic high-speed rail collision in central Spain left dozens dead and hundreds injured on Wednesday, October 28, after two passenger trains collided between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes in the province of Toledo. The disaster occurred along the high-speed corridor connecting Madrid and Andalusia, involving convoys operated by Renfe and private rail carrier Iryo. Among the passengers who escaped the wreckage was prominent Spanish architect and television personality Joaquín Torres, who described his survival as nothing short of miraculous.

Torres was traveling aboard the train en route to Seville on a business trip alongside his associate, Rafa, with plans to finalize a real estate transaction. Both men survived the impact. Torres recounted that he was inside car five and heading toward the restroom at the exact moment the collision occurred, a circumstance he believes shielded him from catastrophic trauma. "We were saved by a miracle," Torres stated during a television broadcast, adding that he remained in shock over the scale of the destruction.

The architect offered harrowing details about the aftermath inside the carriages, describing the scene as "dantesque" and "a massacre." While car five remained partially intact, Torres observed that car six was utterly crushed, with cars seven and eight sustaining extreme damage. Despite sustaining a dislocated hip prosthesis due to the violent force of the impact, Torres attempted to aid fellow passengers trapped in the debris. He later recounted the harrowing ordeal of trying to assist a woman who succumbed to her injuries while he held her.

Following the crash, Torres posted a statement on his social media accounts asking for privacy and announcing that he would temporarily decline all media interviews to rest under medical supervision. He acknowledged that the ordeal was far more traumatic than he could have anticipated and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. "It is terribly unfair that some of us were able to stay here while others could not," Torres wrote, adding that the event marked a permanent turning point in his life.

Spanish actor Manuel Bandera was also traveling on the train toward Seville, occupying a seat in car one at the rear of the convoy. Bandera described the train stopping briefly on the tracks before resuming its route and slamming into the back of the Iryo convoy, though initial accounts in other reports characterized the collision as a head-on crash. Bandera escaped with minor rib contusions after passengers broke a window to evacuate, after which he aided emergency efforts to assist other trapped travelers.

The tragedy triggered an unprecedented emergency response as rescue crews sifted through the wreckage, where at least 68 fatalities have been recorded. High-profile figures were among those reported missing in the hours after the crash, including former Spanish Employment Minister Fátima Báñez, Mediaset television reporter Raúl Triguero—who was traveling to conduct an interview in Seville—and professional equestrian José Díaz Vecino. Relatives and authorities continue to search hospitals and reception centers across Madrid, Toledo, and Seville.

The desperate search for missing passengers also reverberated across social media, where families and public figures circulated seat assignments and photos to locate their loved ones. Comedian Valeria Ros issued an urgent plea for information regarding her missing friend Mercedes Irazola, while actor César Vicente asked for help locating his 63-year-old father, César Vicente Sanz. Meanwhile, travelers on following trains, including influencer Claudia Rodríguez, expressed relief at narrowly avoiding the disaster while circulating emergency contact hotlines for affected families.