A memorial mass was held in Toledo in tribute to the 69 victims of the train collision near Urda. The Spanish royal couple and several political figures attended, while a nationwide strike by train drivers paralyzed the network.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain attended a religious ceremony on Tuesday held in memory of the 69 people killed in last month's train collision on the Madrid-Seville line, near the small town of Urda, about 60 kilometers from Toledo. Twenty-eight injured people remain hospitalized.
Greeted by applause upon entering the cathedral, the monarchs exchanged a few words with the families of the victims after the Catholic Mass. The Archbishop of Toledo, Monsignor Cerro Chaves, officiated the ceremony, declaring to the congregation that "the tragic accident in Urda has left our families, our cities, and our society with a pain that is difficult to accept." Relatives of the deceased carried lit candles to the foot of the high altar. The first reading was given by Ana Benítez, sister of David Benítez, a 38-year-old father of two who died in the disaster.
Several political figures were in attendance, including Alberto Núñez Feijóo , leader of the People's Party, the main opposition party; Emiliano García-Page, president of the Castile-La Mancha region; and Carlos Cuerpo, the new Minister of Transport and Economy. Cuerpo inherited the transport portfolio following the resignation last week of Óscar Puente, who was forced to step down under mounting pressure following the accident.
Residents of Adamuz, in Andalusia, a town affected by a previous collision on the same high-speed line last January that claimed 46 lives, were also present alongside residents of Urda. The November disaster represents the highest death toll recorded on the Spanish rail network since 2013.
The investigation into the causes of the accident is still ongoing. Former minister Puente had suggested a combination of human error and a failure in the safety system. The tragedy comes a month before the parliamentary elections on November 29, and weakens the chances of re-election for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The ceremony took place on the same day as a national strike by train drivers, who are demanding stricter safety measures on the network. A general strike was also expected the following day, called by housing activists demanding emergency rent control, with further disruptions anticipated to rail traffic.
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