Residents and officials gathered on Saturday in the Spanish village of Urda for a memorial service honoring the victims of a deadly high-speed train collision that occurred earlier this week. The crash, which took place on Wednesday near Urda in the central province of Toledo, resulted in the deaths of at least 69 people.

The San Juan Bautista church in Urda was filled to capacity, with additional mourners standing outside to participate in the Mass. The tragedy struck a train traveling from Madrid to Seville, which collided with a stationary train, marking one of the deadliest rail disasters in Europe in recent decades. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances that led to the collision.

During the service, Archbishop of Toledo Francisco Cerro expressed condolences, acknowledging the depth of the loss experienced by families of the victims. He emphasized that those affected were not alone and highlighted the solidarity shown by society in the aftermath of the disaster. The archbishop called on the public to remember the tragedy and pushed for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Emergency responders and volunteers were also singled out for praise. Archbishop Cerro described the collective response as a “genuine wave of solidarity” amid the crisis. The memorial was attended by prominent figures including Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, and Manuel Galan, the mayor of Urda.

Urda, a small community of about 2,500 residents, has been profoundly affected by the accident. Mayor Galan described the village as “very badly affected, in great pain and with a great need for support” in interviews prior to the service. Local pharmacist Antonio Garcia Colina, 78, recounted rushing to the crash site shortly after the collision. He described the scene as “hellish,” noting the severe conditions of passengers being evacuated from the damaged trains and witnessing multiple fatalities.

As recovery operations continue, relatives of the victims have been providing DNA samples to aid in the identification process. Rescue teams and forensic experts are carefully working through the wreckage to recover and identify the remains of those who died in the accident. The community and authorities remain focused on supporting those affected as they await further news.